A 12-year-old girl, Maria Bello died Tuesday after hanging herself at Manase in Blantyre for reasons yet to be established.

According to her stepfather, James Mabvuto, on March 8, the girl left for Nancholi accompanying her neighbour’s maid, but did not return until a week.

This forced her mother to follow the two yesterday and brought her child back.

Later, when both parents left home for other engagements, Maria sneaked into her bedroom and hanged to the roof.

Postmortem conducted at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital indicates cause of her death is Asphyxia secondary to strangulation.

She hailed from Nyamula village, Traditional Authority Tengani in Nsanje.