In a horrific development, a two-year-old toddler spent a night and half the day with her mother’s dead body in the bush. The disturbing incident occurred in Lower Gweru, Midlands, following the killing of the minor’s mother by her father.

The child’s father, 31-year-old Mkhokeli Sibanda, is alleged to have killed his young underage wife Zanele Ndlovu, 17, after accusing her of cheating on him. Sibanda killed Ndlovu but left the minor unharmed beside the mother’s body.

He then walked 2 kilometres and committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree. He left a suicide note on his phone in which he confessed to killing his young wife because of her alleged infidelity.

The next day, the toddler was discovered caressing her mother’s dead body. A source told the daily publication The Herald,

“It’s a sorrowful situation that the police who attended to the scene found the girl in. Indications were that the murder incident occurred the previous night in the bush, and police found the girl seated beside her dead mother while caressing the body meaning she had spent the entire night and half the day without even crying to attract attention.”

The minor has since been placed in the care of some relatives.  The bodies of the parents have been transferred to Gweru Provincial Hospital.

Midlands Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko confirmed the incident, which occurred in Village 2 Budha, in Lower Gweru.

“Circumstances established during investigations are that the two had separated following infidelity issues, but the two were later seen together the previous day before the murder and suicide incident,” he said.