Residents were left shell-shocked last week after an 18-year-old mother killed her 20-month-old daughter and dumped the body in a storm drain before she went merry-making in the city of Dzivarasekwa, Zimbabwe.The suspect, Mellisa Makavani, was arrested on December 24 after she went to the Police Station claiming her baby had been murdered by unknown assailants.
“On 23 December at about 5pm, the accused person tied her daughter on both hands and left her at a secluded area between two streets. She then killed her, dumped the body in a storm drain and went into the city centre to enjoy herself.
On December 24 at about 0900 hours, she returned home from the city centre and started looking for her daughter, but she did not remember where she had left her,” police spokesperson Superintendent Andrew Phiri said.
Phiri said Makavani later met Brighton Chirisa and asked him to escort her to the site where she had dumped her.
“Upon arrival at the scene they discovered the baby lying dead in a pool of stagnant water facing downwards. The accused person then went to the station to make a report and the scene was attended to,” Phiri said.
He said the toddler had a wound just above the left eye and both hands were tied with a black string. Makavani was yesterday remanded in custody to January 11 next year after she appeared before Harare magistrate Don Ndirowei on a murder charge.
