: Baby survives night in grave

Baby survives night in grave
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The sunday Mail on 23 January, 2010 04:15:00
 
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.