By NATION REPORTER
THE two children of the same family who were in 2022 reported to have drowned and died in a septic tank in Kabangwe area Lusaka, died from unnatural causes and the cause of their death has not been duly stated by the pathologist other than what seems to have been a force on their skull, a Coroner has said.
Following their deaths, an inquest was instituted before Lusaka Magistrate Kabili Litia sitting as a coroner who passed a closed verdict stating that they died in circumstances that are not clear.
Delivering his verdict in the inquest on Friday, Coroner Litia said from the evidence of the State Pathologist, it found that the two died due to traumatic fracture of skull.
The pathologist also said he could not comment on the cause of death as the report was not independently reviewable.
In this matter, Police in Kabangwe received a report of suspected drowning from Ms Brenda Musonda Chalwe, aged 49 of Chilimanyemba Mwachindalo Village who reported that her two sons aged between two and three years old had gone missing and were later discovered dead in a septic tank at her neighbour’s house.
It is alleged that on Thursday last year, May 5, 2022 around 17:00 hours the matter was reported that two children had gone missing and on Saturday May 7, 2022 around 14:00 hours were found dead in a septic tank at a neighbour’s house.
Coroner Litia’s finding was that the two were playing outside the house in the yard when they suddenly went missing.
“The deceased children’s grandmother Brenda Mwanangweza sent for them so that they could bath since it was getting late. The children were nowhere to be found. A search continued the second day but still the children could not be found. On the third day around mid-day, the bodies were discovered by children who were playing, floating in a septic tank,’’ he said.
He ruled that the pathologist who conducted postmortem stated in his conclusion that the two children died of subdural haemorrhage due to traumatic fracture of sagittal suture of the skull/blunt force injury.
“I was invited to inquire on what caused the deaths of two children and if there was any person who could have been charged with the murder or manslaughter pursuant to section 4 of Inquest Act Chapter 36 of the Laws of Zambia.
Now, I, the coroner charged to inquire, when, where, and what manner the said deceased persons met their deaths,” a Coroner said.
Two Kabangwe children died of unnatural causes – Pathologist
