Arron Nyamayaro
A WOMAN is believed to have laced her food with poison in Kuwadzana Extension, Harare, and she is now battling for her life in hospital while two of her four children have died.
Her house was filled with smoke, which made it difficult for those who came to try and rescue the family to execute their mission.
Clara Muronda Makachemu is reported to have prepared rice for her family and mixed it with a poisonous substance, which is yet to be identified.
Clara served the food to her four children — Ryan,14, Atidaishe, 10, Atipashe, 8 and Anenyasha, 4.
She also ate the same rice.
Clara was spotted vomiting in a toilet by a child who had come to see a friend.
The child failed to enter the room, which was engulfed in smoke, left the house and told David Makachemu, who is a relative of the family, about the smoke coming out of the house. David had been seated outside the house. David burst into the room and found the children lying unconscious.
Atidaishe and Atipashe died upon arriving at a local clinic and Clara and her two other children are battling for life at Sally Mugabe Hospital.
David told H-Metro that the incident took place around 11am.
“I was seated outside the house when a neighbour’s three-year-old child advised me that someone was vomiting in the house.
“I quickly went into the house and proceeded to the room where my brother’s wife, and four children, were.
“I noticed that there was some smoke, which was coming from a room, and the door to the room was locked.
“I am yet to understand why my brother’s wife tried to commit suicide.
“There was a pot of rice on the gas stove, there was heavy smoke ,which had engulfed the whole house.
“
I sought assistance from the neighbours to evacuate the casualties from the room and ferry them to a clinic.”
Harare provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, said:
“Police are investigating a sudden death by suffocation where two children died,”
said Insp Chakanza.
“Two of the children, and their mother, are admitted at a hospital and their condition has been reported as critical.
“Also found was a pot of rice, which had turned blackish in colour, due to burning.”
