A woman from Kuwadzana Extension, Harare, is reported to have laced her children’s food with poison and then consumed it herself, resulting in the death of two of the children.
According to H-Metro, the woman, identified as Clara Muronda Makechemu, is said to have served the poisoned food to her four children – Ryan (14), Atidaishe (10), Atipashe (8), and Anenyasha (4) – before eating it herself.
Witnesses reported that Clara’s house was filled with smoke from burnt rice, which made it difficult for those who came to try and rescue the family.
A child who had come to see a friend spotted Clara vomiting in the toilet and alerted a relative, David Makachemu, who was outside the house.
When David rushed into the house, he found the children lying unconscious. Tragically, Atidaishe and Atipashe were pronounced dead upon arrival at a local clinic.
Clara and the two remaining children, Anenyasha and Ryan, are currently battling for their lives at Sally Mugabe Hospital.
Speaking to H-Metro, David said the incident took place around 11 AM. He said:
I was seated outside the house when a neighbour’s three-year-old child advised me that someone was vomiting in the house.
I quickly went into the house and proceeded to the room where my brother’s wife, and four children, were.
I noticed that there was some smoke, which was coming from a room, and the door to the room was locked.
I am yet to understand why my brother’s wife tried to commit suicide.
There was a pot of rice on the gas stove, and there was heavy smoke, which had engulfed the whole house.
I sought assistance from the neighbours to evacuate the casualties from the room and ferry them to a clinic.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson in Harare Province, Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, said:
Police are investigating a sudden death by suffocation where two children died.
Two of the children, and their mother, are admitted at a hospital and their condition has been reported as critical.
Also found was a pot of rice, which had turned blackish in colour, due to burning.
Meanwhile, in a statement posted on the official ZRP X page on Monday evening, the police said they suspect the two children died of suffocation due to the smoke from the burnt rice in the house. Reads the statement:
The ZRP reports a sad incident in which two juveniles died due to suspected suffocation at a house in Kuwadzana Extension, Hre.
The victims and their other two siblings aged 14 and 4 as well as their mother were found lying unconscious in a room which was engulfed in smoke.
There was a pot of rice burnt to ashes on the stove. The victims were referred to a local clinic in Kuwadzana where Atidaishe Makechemu (10) and Atipaishe Makechemu (8) died on admission.
The other three victims were referred to Sally Mugabe Hospital where they are currently admitted. More information will be released in due course.
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