By Staff Reporter
A mother’s joyful birthday celebration for her younger child turned into a tragedy after her daughter drowned in the swimming pool at Mutirikwi Lake Shore Resort on October 12.
Masvingo Provincial Police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dehwa confirmed the incident and warned people against playing around water bodies if they cannot swim.
Circumstances are that on October 12, Patricia Hwindiri (42) from Mucheke D in Masvingo went to the resort with her two children aged 18 and 10 to celebrate the younger child’s birthday.
While at the resort, the teenager, together with her 10-year-old sibling joined other children who were swimming in the pool.
Moments later, people who were present noticed that the now deceased Rutendo Takaidza was drowning.
Three men jumped into the pool to rescue Takaidza and rushed her to Masvingo Provincial Hospital where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The deceased’s body was taken to the local mortuary awaiting postmortem.
…Double tragedy as two siblings drown in Gutu
In a separate incident, a fun-filled afternoon at Bunzwi Stream in Gutu turned into mourning after two siblings drowned while swimming together.
Inspector Dehwa confirmed the incident that happened on October 12 and said the bodies of the two were retrieved and taken to Gutu Mission Hospital for postmortem.
“We have a report from Gutu where two siblings drowned while swimming in a local river. We urge parents to monitor their children and make sure they do not play in water bodies especially if they cannot swim,” said Dhewa.
Sources said on the day in question, the four siblings aged 13, nine, seven and six from Dhibhamashava village in Chief Chitsa area went to Bunzwi Stream for swimming.
While swimming, the elder sibling Brightmore Mushandu and the seven year old Anymore Mushandu drowned and the other two aged nine and six rushed home and alerted other villagers.
The villagers led by the village head went to the river and a search party was organized. They however managed to retrieve the lifeless bodies on the following day.
