Baby’s corpse found in the kitchen after burial

Members of a family from Zhombe communal lands in Kwekwe district were recently shocked out of their wits when they woke up to find the body of a three-month-old baby they had buried the previous day dumped in the family kitchen.

The baby's mother, Mrs Evelyn Kashere, died soon after giving birth and her parents, the Dube family, took custody of the baby. The baby unfortunately died three months later.

Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Patrick Chademana confirmed police had received a report about the strange incident which occurred on Monday at village 18 in the Sessombi area of Zhombe.

Insp Chademana said the Dube and Kashere family had buried the baby on Sunday but were shocked when the baby's body was found wrapped in blankets in the kitchen of one of the relatives.

The baby's body, according to tradition, had to be buried in the riverbed as per tradition and only the elderly women and again as per tradition, conducted the burial.

"It is alleged that the three-month-old baby, daughter to Mr Fanuel Kashere (38), and his now deceased wife, Evelyn, was under the custody of the Dubes when it died last Sunday.

"The baby was then buried in the riverbed as per tradition and only elderly women conducted the burial.

"The mourners thereafter dispersed and went to their respective homes."

Inspector Chademana said the following morning the baby's body was found in the kitchen of one of Mr Kashere's relatives.

"The body was then found on the floor in the kitchen of Mr Kashere's relative, Mr Tagwirei Manyonda (68), wrapped in blankets.

The body was discovered by Mr Manyonda's wife when she woke up to do her morning chores," said Insp Chademana.

He said the shocked family then reported the matter to the village head, Mr Clever Mhokore, who later convened a meeting with other villagers at Mr Manyonda's homestead to discuss the strange incident.
"The elderly women who had buried the baby the previous day were also called and they all positively identified the body as that of the baby they buried the previous day," he said.

Insp Chademana said the elderly and other villagers went to the burial place where they discovered that the body of the baby had been exhumed.

Inspector Chademana, who suspected foul play, said police investigations had since established that the late Evelyn was Mr Kashere'a second wife after his first wife also died.

"History has it that following the death of his first wife, Mr Kashere was made to pay three beasts and some cash by his in-laws but he had not paid anything to his new wife, Evelyn's family, after her death soon after birth," he said.