News / Regional
Teenage mum poisons self, kills daughter
17 Nov 2015 at 05:42hrs | Views
A TEENAGE mum from Maphisa in Matobo District has been arrested for
allegedly killing her two-year-old daughter before attempting to commit
suicide following a domestic dispute.
Nokuthaba Mpofu, 19, allegedly drank a dip chemical and gave some to her daughter, Lubelihle Majola, on Wednesday last week following a dispute with her live-in boyfriend.
The toddler is said to have died the same day while Mpofu was rushed to the United Bulawayo Hospitals where she was treated and discharged on Sunday. Police arrested her on the same day for the murder of her child.
The Chronicle yesterday visited her homestead at Mbembeswana Village in Maphisa as villagers prepared to bury Lubelihle.
A villager, Lizwe Xaba, who works for Mpofu's family, said he found the woman writhing in agony on Wednesday morning after drinking the dangerous chemical.
He said Mpofu was crying while her daughter was lying beside her.
Xaba said Mpofu told him that her boyfriend was accusing her of something she did not know, but did not divulge further details.
"She was crying and lying near the door of her hut saying her boyfriend (Armstrong Majola) was accusing her of things she didn't know. I tried to comfort her and in the process I discovered that she had taken a dip chemical," said Xaba.
He said after realising what Mpofu had done, he called for help.
"When I came back from mobilising relatives and other villagers, the baby's condition had seriously deteriorated. We managed to get transport and rushed them to our local clinic. The baby died while at the clinic while her mother was rushed to UBH where she recovered," Xaba said.
He said Mpofu was arrested on Sunday.
"Police came here yesterday and took her away," he said.
Mpofu's father, who declined to be named, said: "These are young people. The reason why she took such a drastic action is because she might have been abused and saw death as a way out," he said.
Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Sergeant Thabani Mkhwananzi said investigations were underway.
He urged members of the public to seek assistance in case of disputes.
"As police we want to urge members of the public that the only way out of disputes is engaging third parties. It can be extended families, churches and police. We've a department of community relations. Members of the public must engage them instead of resorting to other means that may create problems instead of solving them," he said.
Nokuthaba Mpofu, 19, allegedly drank a dip chemical and gave some to her daughter, Lubelihle Majola, on Wednesday last week following a dispute with her live-in boyfriend.
The toddler is said to have died the same day while Mpofu was rushed to the United Bulawayo Hospitals where she was treated and discharged on Sunday. Police arrested her on the same day for the murder of her child.
The Chronicle yesterday visited her homestead at Mbembeswana Village in Maphisa as villagers prepared to bury Lubelihle.
A villager, Lizwe Xaba, who works for Mpofu's family, said he found the woman writhing in agony on Wednesday morning after drinking the dangerous chemical.
He said Mpofu was crying while her daughter was lying beside her.
Xaba said Mpofu told him that her boyfriend was accusing her of something she did not know, but did not divulge further details.
"She was crying and lying near the door of her hut saying her boyfriend (Armstrong Majola) was accusing her of things she didn't know. I tried to comfort her and in the process I discovered that she had taken a dip chemical," said Xaba.
"When I came back from mobilising relatives and other villagers, the baby's condition had seriously deteriorated. We managed to get transport and rushed them to our local clinic. The baby died while at the clinic while her mother was rushed to UBH where she recovered," Xaba said.
He said Mpofu was arrested on Sunday.
"Police came here yesterday and took her away," he said.
Mpofu's father, who declined to be named, said: "These are young people. The reason why she took such a drastic action is because she might have been abused and saw death as a way out," he said.
Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Sergeant Thabani Mkhwananzi said investigations were underway.
He urged members of the public to seek assistance in case of disputes.
"As police we want to urge members of the public that the only way out of disputes is engaging third parties. It can be extended families, churches and police. We've a department of community relations. Members of the public must engage them instead of resorting to other means that may create problems instead of solving them," he said.
Source - Chronicle
