Girl, 13, commits suicide over reprimand for stayi...

Girl, 13, commits suicide over reprimand for staying out late

Teen Suicide Is on the Rise and No One Knows Why – Rolling Stone

Shylet Matanhire, a 13-year-old Grade Seven pupil at Maps Primary School in Mutare recently consumed rat poison after being reprimanded by her mother for coming home late.

Shylet reportedly apologised to her mother and aunt for consuming the toxic substance before she was rushed to a nearby clinic.

She was transferred to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital where she died a day later.

According to relatives, Shylet left her siblings alone and went away with a 15-year-old boy who stays nearby.

She only came home around 8pm.

“Her mother, Mai Matanhire, had gone to a nearby mountain for prayers and left Shylet at her home with her siblings. After hearing that Shylet had come home late, Mai Matanhire quizzed her about the issue.

“She disciplined her daughter and advised her to desist from staying out late. I think this did not go down well with Shylet as she stormed into her mother’s room, took rat poison and consumed it.

“She later confessed that she had taken rat poison. Her mother raised alarm and neighbours quickly rushed her to a clinic at Acid shops before she was transferred to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital where she died in the early hours of Monday,” said a neighbour.

She was laid to rest at Dangamvura Cemetery.

Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Norbert Muzondo, confirmed the incident and said investigations are in progress.

He said the post mortem results revealed that Shylet died of organophosphate poisoning.

“We are yet to get more details on what prompted her to consume the poison as the matter came to our light after Shylet’s admission and subsequent death. Investigations are in progress,” said Inspector Muzondo.