A group of locals in Chuunga Village of Mweemba Chiefdom, Sinazongwe District in Zambia, have rescued a newborn baby who was buried in a shallow hole in a dry stream after initially thinking it was a snake, hence wanting to kill it.

The baby was initially spotted by 28-year-old Cabel Sianyangu who was riding a motorbike to Masuku area from Maamba town using Siankodobbo – Masuku road.

Sianyangu had stopped his motorbike to answer the call of nature at a nearby bush when he noticed strange movements in a hole and blood stains on the edges thereat.

Relaying the incident, Deputy Southern Province Commissioner of Police, Moono Namalongo, says Sianyangu immediately withdrew, and gripped with fear ran back to his motorbike to call for help as he thought that it was a snake.

He is said to have managed to find other passers-by who volunteered to assist, however, when they reached the hole while armed with sticks and stones, they realized that it was a baby and not a snake.

They retrieved the baby and rushed it to Maamba General Hospital where the condition is stated to be stable.

The ordeal occurred on 11th July, 2024, between 14:00 hours and 17:00 hours and was later reported to Police by Sianyangu, with the mother of the newborn yet to be identified.