Four Zimbabwean women in Mbare reportedly killed a 3-month-old baby while attacking its mother for dating a married man, local publication iHarare reports.

Evelyn Kunaka, 28, Beauty Simbanegavi, 33, Betty Simbanegavi, 33, all of Tagarika 2 Flats and Alice Muganhu, 21, of Shawasha Flats in Mbare are reported to have teamed up in attacking Laina Mlauzi, 25, accusing her of dating Muganhu’s husband leading to the death of her baby Chelsey Manyarara aged three months.

Provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the arrest saying the four suspects are being charged with murder and investigations were in progress.

“Police in Harare have arrested four women on suspicion of murder after they allegedly caused the death of an infant who was almost three months old when they physically attacked the infant’s mother,” said Insp Mwanza.

It is alleged that on the 6th of June 2021 at around 1030 hours, Laina Mlauzi was in the company of her husband going to 7th Street National, Mbare in search of a room to rent.

Mlauzi was carrying her daughter (now deceased) on her back.

On their way, they were approached by the four suspects who reportedly asked Mlauzi’s husband whether he was in a love relationship with Alice Muganhu, to which he jokingly responded by saying yes.

The four accused persons suddenly began to point fingers at Mlauzi.

It is during this assault that the accused persons are suspected to have hit the now deceased who was on Mlauzi’s back.

The child was taken to Sally Mugabe Hospital where the child was then admitted up to the 14th of June 2021 before she was discharged.

Since then, the child was on and off in hospital with her condition deteriorating till the 17th of July 2021 when she was taken to Sally Mugabe Hospital and she died before being attended to by doctors.