A 15-year-old girl from Norton died at an apostolic sect shrine on Tuesday 04 October 2022 in Bikita giving birth, her family said.
Nokutenda Hwaramba died together with her baby, at a shrine, where she was being cared for by unidentified prophets H-Metro reported.
Nokutenda’s mother Loice Muparadziwo said she could not be with her daughter in her final moments as she herself was hospitalised in Norton where she suffered a miscarriage. Muparadziwo told H-Metro:
She got sick and would just fall as if possessed by evil spirits. Her father (Bernard Hwaramba 41) consulted prophets from his congregation and later took her to Bikita for more prayers. He left Nokutenda in the hands of the intercessors and she died while giving birth at the shrine. The church doctrine did not allow us to take Nokutenda to a clinic, or hospital to give birth or for any medical treatment.
Muparadziwo said Nokutenda was impregnated by a man identified only as Aaron, who was a neighbour in Norton. Aaron reportedly vanished when Nokutenda’s pregnancy came to light.
Nokutenda’s death brings back memories of the death of 14-year-old Anna Machaya who died in July 2021 while giving birth in Marange.
There is also a 15-year-old Ferby Munyafi of Chiadzwa Village in Marange who died in January 2022 from excessive bleeding while delivering under the watch of a faith healer.