NORTON: Grade 7 Girl(15) dies during child birth at white garment church shrine

THERE is shock and outrage in Norton after a Grade 7 pupil died on Tuesday while giving birth at a shrine in Bikita, Masvingo.

Nokutenda Hwaramba died together with her baby, at a shrine, where she was being cared for by unidentified prophets.

A 15-year-old girl from Norton has died giving birth at an apostolic sect shrine(white garment church ) in Bikita, her family said.

Nokutenda Hwaramba’s demise has the tragic echoes of the death, in July last year, of 14-year-old Anna Machaya while giving birth in Marange and that of 15-year-old Ferby Munyafi of Chiadzwa Village in Marange who died in January this year from excessive bleeding while delivering under the watch of a faith healer.

According to zimlive, Nokutenda’s mother Loice Muparadziwo said she could not be with her daughter in her final moments on October 4 as she herself was hospitalised in Norton where she suffered a miscarriage.

“She got sick and would just fall as if possessed by evil spirits. Her father consulted prophets from his congregation and later took her to Bikita for more prayers. He left Nokutenda in the hands of the intercessors and she died while giving birth at the shrine,” Muparadziwo told H-Metro.

“The church doctrine did not allow us to take Nokutenda to a clinic, or hospital to give birth or for any medical treatment.”

Muparadziwo said Nokutenda was impregnated by a man identified only as Aaron, who was a neighbour in Norton. Aaron reportedly vanished when Nokutenda’s pregnancy came to light.

zimlive