News / National
Woman kills toddler in suicide attempt
01 Jun 2018 at 09:29hrs | Views
A 32-YEAR-OLD Seke woman allegedly took her four-year-old daughter around midnight and jumped into a nearby dam in a bid to commit suicide.
The woman (name withheld) from Mangwende village, under Chief Seke, who is suspected to be mentally ill, is lucky to be alive, but the toddler did not make it.
Mashonaland East provincial acting police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the incident.
He urged people taking care of mentally ill patients to make sure they take their medication in time to avoid such cases.
"I confirm that a woman, who is a suspected mental patient, took her child and tried to commit suicide in Hunyani Dam in Seke. Fortunately, the woman survived, but is facing murder charges. Those who are caring for mentally challenged patients must ensure that their medication is taken on time and that their movements are closely monitored to avoid such unfortunate incidences," he said.
According to the police, it is alleged that on May 28, the suspect was sleeping in one of the bedrooms together with her daughter and 70-year-old grandmother.
It is said she woke up at around midnight and strapped the baby to her back before leaving the house.
It is reported that the suspect headed towards the dam, where she threw herself into the water in an attempt to commit suicide.
In the morning, a villager noticed the body of the suspect floating at the edge of the dam before rushing to alert her relatives and other villagers.
The woman was retrieved and she gained consciousness before relating what had transpired.
The villagers returned to the dam and searched for the toddler and found her lifeless body floating in the reservoir.
The woman was taken to Dema Police Station, while the body of the toddler was taken to Chitungwiza Central Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem.
The woman (name withheld) from Mangwende village, under Chief Seke, who is suspected to be mentally ill, is lucky to be alive, but the toddler did not make it.
Mashonaland East provincial acting police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the incident.
He urged people taking care of mentally ill patients to make sure they take their medication in time to avoid such cases.
"I confirm that a woman, who is a suspected mental patient, took her child and tried to commit suicide in Hunyani Dam in Seke. Fortunately, the woman survived, but is facing murder charges. Those who are caring for mentally challenged patients must ensure that their medication is taken on time and that their movements are closely monitored to avoid such unfortunate incidences," he said.
According to the police, it is alleged that on May 28, the suspect was sleeping in one of the bedrooms together with her daughter and 70-year-old grandmother.
It is said she woke up at around midnight and strapped the baby to her back before leaving the house.
It is reported that the suspect headed towards the dam, where she threw herself into the water in an attempt to commit suicide.
In the morning, a villager noticed the body of the suspect floating at the edge of the dam before rushing to alert her relatives and other villagers.
The woman was retrieved and she gained consciousness before relating what had transpired.
The villagers returned to the dam and searched for the toddler and found her lifeless body floating in the reservoir.
The woman was taken to Dema Police Station, while the body of the toddler was taken to Chitungwiza Central Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem.
Source - newsday
