TOMBIZODWA Mlambo’s child choked to death and now she’s being investigated by the cops.
The 25-year-old mum said she was just trying to help her daughter Nqobile (2) to eat after she had been burnt by boiling water.
However, her actions led to the toddler’s death.
Ntombizodwa’s case is one of four reported at Moroka Police Station after children choked to death as a result of being forcefully fed by their parents.
Ntombizodwa said: “After my daughter was burned last month she lost her appetite. She couldn’t even eat a small spoon of porridge and that worried me a lot.
“My sister and I started forcing her to eat, but we never suspected it would kill her. While we were feeding her she stopped moving and we rushed her to hospital, where she died the next day.”
Cultural expert at Bontle Bo Africa, Refilwe Khuntou, said the way the women were feeding their children is a traditional practice that requires experience.
“This has been practised for many decades by our elderly people. In the old days no deaths were reported because people knew what they were doing.
“Old people used to have the responsibility of feeding children like this, not their mothers. People must not question this practice because it represents black people.”
Constable John Serala confirmed that four cases involving children choking to death while being fed were reported at Moroka Police Station.
Source: dailysun
