Local

Harry Kkonde’s father said family, babysitter are ‘sick’ over boy’s death

LOWELL, Mass. — Sam Kkonde said the babysitter watching his 3-year-old son the morning he disappeared was a family friend and had been doing a good job.

“She left the door not closed by accident, and Harry went out,” Kkonde said. “She’s sick [about what happened]. That’s the same babysitter he’s had for the last 30 days. She had done a good job.”

Kkonde and Harry’s mother, Harriet Nasejje, addressed hundreds of supporters gathered for a vigil outside Lowell City Hall Friday night.

“He was the finest guy I’ve ever met in the world, and I’ll truly miss him,” Kkonde said. “He was my best friend. Life will never be the same again.”

Investigators said Harry wandered away from his babysitter’s home Tuesday morning. After an extensive search, Harry was discovered Wednesday afternoon in a pond only about 650 feet from the house. Investigators said there were no signs of “external trauma,” and the boy was wearing the clothes he was last seen in when he disappeared from the home on Freda Lane.

“Right now, there’s a lot of confusion going on inside me. I can’t believe what happened. His bedroom is empty,” Kkonde said.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan attended the vigil, along with several other Lowell city officials. Ryan said it’s too early to say if criminal charges could be filed in Harry’s death.

“We’re still looking at everything. Obviously, as I said the other day, our focus first was on finding Harry, and then we’ll turn to what happened,” Ryan said.

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