Boy (5) dies in croc attack

IN an incident that has left villagers in Nyamapanda shell-shocked, a five-year-old boy was killed by a crocodile and remains suspected to be his were discovered two days later.

The boy was from Zongororo Village under Chief Mukota.

Mashonaland East provincial police spokesperson Inspector Simon Chazovachii yesterday confirmed the incident.

"I confirm an incident in Nyamapanda, where a five-year-old boy was attacked by a crocodile. We urge parents not to leave their children playing near water bodies. They risk drowning or being attacked by crocodiles," he said.

Last year on December 28, the boy was in the company of his mother and elder sister who were washing clothes on the bank of Mazowe River.

But he was playing alone in the shallow waters at the banks of the river when he was attacked by the crocodile.

The mother saw her son drowning and sought help from other villagers.

The villagers saw a crocodile moving away from where he was last spotted and attacked it.

The reptile emerged from the water clutching the boy on its jaws, but efforts to save him failed.

The matter was then reported to Nyamapanda Police Station, who dispatched a sub-aqua unit to search for the boy.

"On New Year's Day, the sub aqua team visited the scene to search and retrieve the remains of the boy, but failed due to the river's high velocity and turbulence. The boy's stepfather told the police that he had discovered some dried intestines believed to be that of the boy," Chazovachii said.

The remains were taken to Kotwa Hospital for post-mortem.