Baby survives night in grave

baby in grave

A newborn baby miraculously survived last week after her mother dug a pit and buried her alive in a cemetery in an attempted infanticide case that has left villagers in Chiweshe shocked.

The baby spent the night struggling for breath before she was rescued in the morning by other villagers.

Phibian Chinehasha, who resides near the graveyard, became suspicious after realising that a new “grave” had been dug up during the night.
He informed other villagers who opened up the pit and unearthed the baby, that was buried a few metres underground.

The infant’s mother, Margaret Munjanja of Bermaside Farm was arrested by fellow villagers who took her to Chief Luscious Chitsinde’s Negomo court.
Chief Negomo deplored Munjanja’s actions saying the Chiweshe community had been left shell-shocked.

He said it was a miracle that the baby had survived after spending several hours buried underground with little air to breathe.

“This case is one of the most extraordinary cases I have handled. It was cruel for the mother to attempt to kill an innocent soul in such a manner. It’s quite disturbing that she had the nerve to go to the cemetery at night and dig a pit,” he said.

During her appearance at the traditional court, Munjanja confessed that she had attempted to kill the child because she had an illicit affair with her husband’s nephew, whom she suspected to be the father.

Munjanja was ordered to hand over a cow and a sheep as a fine but she faces further punishment after the chief indicated that he would hand her over to the police.

Munjanja however showed remorse and pleaded for clemency saying she would give adequate care to the child. According to Chief Negomo, cases of infanticide are rampant in his realm.

Last year, a woman from the same area shocked the community when she threw her newborn baby into a blair toilet, while another woman burnt her child to death after dousing her with petrol.