Mabvuku Stepmother Arrested for Murdering 4-Year-Old Son for Accepting a Freezit from Neighbor
A Mabvuku stepmother has been arrested for allegedly murdering her husband’s four-year-old son at their home in Chizhanje.
Family Dynamics Under Scrutiny
The boy lived with his grandmother in a rural home before his father brought him to Mabvuku. In August, the boy’s grandmother traveled from Rusape to resolve family disputes. After settling matters, she left the child in the care of his father and stepmother.
Unfortunately, this arrangement did not sit well with the stepmother. She expressed dissatisfaction with caring for the boy, as she was already breastfeeding her young child. Neighbors reported that the boy faced abuse from the moment his grandmother left.
A Disturbing Pattern of Abuse
According to neighbors, the stepmother frequently beat the child for trivial reasons. The boy often went hungry, receiving food only when his father returned home from work. The neglect grew so severe that neighbors began providing meals. However, if the stepmother caught him eating food from neighbors, he would face severe punishment.
Three days ago, the situation escalated. The boy accepted a freezit from a neighbor, prompting the stepmother to react violently. She locked him in the house, brutally beating him, hitting his head against the walls, and kicking him. The child fell and started bleeding heavily, which ultimately led to his tragic death.
Cover-Up and Police Intervention
When the boy’s father returned home, he was told the child had fallen from the bed and lost consciousness. Believing it might be witchcraft, they sought help from mapostori. However, multiple mapostori indicated that the stepmother was responsible for the boy’s death.
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In denial, the father decided to bury his son in Rusape without notifying the police. A concerned neighbor informed the authorities, leading to the stepmother’s arrest. Police also arrested the boy’s father, his brother, and his wife before they could leave for the burial.