A 42-year-old woman, Rose Tayitasi, has been arrested in Lilongwe for allegedly killing her 16-year-old son, Charles Muwelo, over a missing cellphone.

According to Lilongwe Police Station, Tayitasi suspected her son of stealing her phone and assaulted him with a piece of wood to force him to reveal its location.

The boy never confessed and eventually collapsed, becoming unconscious, he was then taken to the hospital, where he died from head injuries.

Speaking to MIJ Online Hastings Chigalu the station’s spokesperson, said the incident was reported to the police by the boy’s father, and a postmortem confirmed that the boy died from assault.

Meanwhile, Chigalu has said Tayitasi will be charged with murder.