A 39-year-old mother from Hobhouse, Zimbabwe, has been arrested after allegedly stabbing her three-year-old son to death in a horrific incident that has left the peaceful community in shock and mourning.
The Tragic Night in Hobhouse
Netsai Chikuni stands accused of fatally assaulting her young son, Ngonidzashe Njerera, inflicting multiple stab wounds to the child's head and neck during the early hours of November 19. The tragedy unfolded at her brother's residence in the typically tranquil Hobhouse suburb.
The sequence of events began when Chikuni arrived at her brother's house with her son on the evening of November 19. Since her brother, Admire Chilamwita, was away in Chipinge, tenants living at the property allowed Chikuni inside after receiving permission from the landlord.
Violent Escalation and Disturbing Details
According to Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, the situation turned violent around 1am when Chikuni woke up and began knocking violently on the tenant's bedroom door.
"The tenant's brother opened the door but failed to communicate with her since she was violent. He locked his door from inside," Chinyoka stated in his chilling account of the events.
Approximately five minutes later, tenants reported hearing Chikuni shouting at her child in Shona: "Idya chingwa ukuda kundiurayisa" which translates to "Eat your bread, you want to kill me." The sounds of assault followed, creating an atmosphere of fear and helplessness among those present.
Witness Accounts and Community Impact
One tenant who witnessed the events described Chikuni's alarming behavior from her arrival, stating she appeared "confused, depressed and possessed." The witness recounted how they tried to stop her, insisting they needed landlord permission first, but Chikuni ignored them and stormed into the house.
The same witness provided harrowing details of the attack: "We heard her smashing her son on the walls until he stopped crying. She stabbed him on the head and blood splashed all over the walls and kitchen furniture. She was so violent and no one could stop her."
Throughout the prolonged assault, Chikuni was heard shouting disturbing phrases including: "Makandiuraya, ndakaurayiwa, ma next door hamundionewo here. Ndaka kidnapwa ndakaurayiwa hamundionewo here," meaning "You have killed me, I have been killed, you next door, don't you see me? I was kidnapped and killed, don't you see me?"
When police finally arrived at the scene, they discovered the child's lifeless body lying in a pool of blood. Chikuni herself had inflicted wounds on her legs and hands and was found asleep beside her son's body.
The community of Hobhouse remains devastated by what residents describe as a senseless and deeply disturbing tragedy. Authorities have launched a full investigation into the motive and psychological condition behind this devastating act as the community continues to grapple with shock, grief, and unanswered questions.
