A two-year-old minor was burnt beyond recognition at the family homestead in Nyanga in an inexplicable inferno after he was left sleeping in a kitchen hut last Sunday.
Police in Manicaland confirmed the incident and urged people to be cautious and not to leave children unattended.
Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Leonard Chabata said Emmanuel Anesu Chitsaka was left by his grandmother playing at the family homestead in the company of other children.
His elder brother Nyasha (13) was also reportedly among the children who were playing with the now deceased.
When Emmanuel was falling asleep, Nyasha is said to have taken him into the thatched bedroom hut to sleep. Immediately after putting his brother to bed, Nyasha went to the grazing area leaving the minor asleep and alone in the bedroom hut.
Moments later a neighbour noticed smoke coming from the bedroom hut and rushed to the homestead intending to put out what he thought was an ordinary fire.
However, the neighbour failed to put out the fire and called other villagers to help.As they were putting out the fire the villagers noticed the two-year-old minor who was sleeping on a mattress badly burnt by the fire.
According to Chabata, Emmanuel was burnt beyond recognition and his remains were taken to Regina Coeli Hospital for a post-mortem.
