BY KENNETH NYANGANI
A NEWBORN baby girl survived two days in a blair toilet in Marange after its mother dumped her.
The baby, however later died in hospital soon after being rescued by villagers who had to dig up the toilet to retrieve her. The baby’s mother, a housemaid was sentenced to 12 months in jail for infanticide for dumping the newborn in the pit latrine.
Melody Musoro from Makara Village, Chief Marange appeared before magistrate Sekai Chiundura on Thursday. The magistrate, however, suspended four months on condition of good behaviour.
She will serve an effective eight months.
According to the State, on the night of May 6, the convict secretly gave birth to the baby girl and dumped her in the pit latrine.
The following morning a villager, Anna Mwaita went to the toilet to relieve herself and noticed some blood on the floor and questioned Musoro who professed ignorance.
On May 8 at around 5am, Mwaita went to the same toilet to empty a bucket of urine and heard a baby’s cry coming from the pit.
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Musoro owned up to dumping the baby.
Mwaita reported the matter to police who attended the scene. The police, with the help of local villagers, dug up the toilet and retrieved the baby.
The police escorted Musoro and her baby to Matanda Clinic for medical attention who were later transferred to Mutare Provincial Hospital. The infant was, however, pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
