Roseline Mutare
Blessed Mahara (4) from Ngwana Village in Mukwasine, Chiredzi drowned in an irrigation canal on January 29, 2025.
According to Masvingo Province police spokesperson, Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa, the tragedy unfolded at around 0800 hours when Vimbai Chitatema (35) left her two children, aged 4 and 5, unattended at their homestead while she tended to her sugarcane field.
The two children wandered off to a nearby canal, approximately 200 meters from their house, where Blessed Mahara (4), slipped and fell into the water.
Inspector Dhewa stated that the police retrieved the boy’s body from the canal, and it was taken to Chiredzi General Hospital mortuary where it awaits a postmortem examination. The body showed no visible injuries.
“The police are urging parents and guardians to exercise extreme caution and supervision when leaving children near water sources to prevent such tragic incidents,” Inspector Dhewa said.
