Two Byo kids drown in water containers

Zim Now Writer

A nine-month-old and a one-year-old girls drowned in water containers in Nkulumane and Cowdray Park, Bulawayo respectively.

In the first incident the toddler’s 36-year-old mother left her sleeping on the bed and only came back to check after hearing suspicious noises coming from the bedroom.

She found that her daughter had drowned in a big dish with water that she had left at the side of the bed. She tried to resuscitate her via first aid without success after which she rushed her to the clinic where she was pronounced dead.

In the Cowdray Park incident, the one-year-old girl drowned in a three-quarter full 20-litre water bucket when her aunt left her playing outside while she took a bath.

“The girl was left in the custody of her 25-year-old aunt who left her playing outside as she went to bath,” said police.

When she finished bathing, she discovered that her niece had fallen into the bucket of water and showed no sign of life.

Assistant provincial police spokesperson for Bulawayo, Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele warned the public not to leave open water containers within the reach of children.

“We urge members of the public not to leave open water buckets and within reach of children so as to avoid such incidents,” said Asst Insp Msebele.