A one-year-old child died on Friday in Marondera, Zimbabwe after succumbing to injuries sustained during a fight between her parents. 

The parents have since been arrested after they tried to cover up their daughter’s murder by burying her secretly.

After realising that their child had sustained injuries when they were fighting, the parents sought medical help at a local clinic.  

When the situation did not improve, the parents consulted a local faith healer. However, the traditional healer’s methods did not help and the child died.

The two parents then decided against informing the authorities of the death. Instead, they buried the child secretly on the banks of a nearby river as is directed by some cultural traditions.

However, the police received an anonymous tipoff detailing the fight between the parents and the subsequent death.

In a statement, the police said, “Police in Marondera are investigating a case of suspected murder, which occurred in Cherutombo, 6 August where a couple secretly buried their one-year-old daughter along Ruzawi River.

“The duo fought whilst the child was strapped to the mother’s back 1 August and the child fell sick afterwards. The parents took her to a local clinic before going to a traditional healer and she died. Police received information on the secret burial and exhumed the body for post mortem.” 

The secret burial of the toddler is eerily similar to a case that occurred in Zimre Park, Ruwa. In the Zimre case, a self-proclaimed prophet and her husband buried their one-month-old granddaughter on a riverbank.

The two buried the child one hour after her death without notifying the authorities. The child is reported to have died during a failed ritual to heal her.