Maid (26) suffocates employer's 10-month-old baby

A 26-YEAR-OLD maid from Bulawayo's high-density suburb of Cowdray Park allegedly wrapped a 10-month-old baby with a blanket, shoved it into a drawer and callously left it to suffocate as she went to the sitting room to watch movies last Friday.

After a while the maid, Violet Moyo, in an effort to cover her tracks, went back to the bedroom where she had allegedly left the baby (Ethan Mthabisi Phiri) to die, retrieved the body from the drawer and placed it between the headboard and bed. She then raised alarm with neighbours that she had found baby Ethan dead.

According to neighbours, who fear that the incident could be another case of Satanism in Cowdray Park, Moyo bolted out of the house in a full-blown psychotic state, shouting loudly and screaming that baby Ethan had died.

The incident happened on 1 February during the day when baby Ethan's parents, Mr Charles Phiri and Mrs Thabiso Phiri were at work.

Baby Ethan was laid to rest on 4 February. He was the first-born child of Mr and Mrs Phiri.

Bulawayo Metropolitan Province police spokesperson, Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo, said they were investigating the death of baby Ethan.

"We are investigating a case whereby an infant died in Cowdray Park. A 26-year-old woman who was minding the infant is assisting us with investigations,'' said Inspector Moyo.

According to sources Moyo admitted in a recorded confession that she had killed the baby. She said the night before she killed baby Ethan, she had had a nightmare in which she was chasing babies. She added that the morning after the night-of-the-strange-dream an evil spirit came upon her and compelled her to smother Ethan by enfolding him with a blanket.

Mr Phiri, Ethan's father, said he and his wife were still in shock and disbelief that their baby was gone.

"I am bitter as I speak and my wife has not been herself, she is crying everyday. How could that woman be so heartless, we entrusted her with our child's life and she betrayed us? We are still confused and all we hope for now is justice. She must be punished for what she did,'' said a tearful Mr Phiri.

The Phiri family spokesperson, Mr Leslie Phiri (brother to Mr Charles Phiri), said the family was still distressed by the grisly murder of baby Ethan "whose life was full of promise''.

"We are devastated and appalled by the way the baby died. It's not a case of negligence as stated by the girl but this is gruesome. There is no shadow of doubt that this girl is either demon possessed or a satanic agent.

"Our prayer is that justice prevails. Cowdray Park has become a hot spot for satanic agents and we call upon prophets, pastors and bishops of God and all those that know they are led by the spirit of God to exorcise that area before other people are killed," said Mr Phiri.

Mr Phiri dismissed speculation that Moyo had confessed under duress and said she had decided to come clean about what happened of her own free will. According to Mr Phiri, Moyo showed no remorse, was dry-eyed and calm as she narrated the gory incident.

"She just confessed voluntarily, first to her guardians and then we went to where she was now staying and she narrated the story to us. She says she doesn't know what spirit came upon her. To me it's a clear case of Satanism. She has some nerve, she didn't seem disturbed by what happened, ulesibindi unkazana lowana," Mr Phiri said.