This archive report was first published on 27 December 2019.
On Christmas Day, 2019, a tragic incident occurred in Shikokhwe Village, Malava, where a six-month-old baby, Haggai Bushuru, lost his life after being attacked by a hen.
The hen, which was fiercely guarding its one-week-old chicks, jumped in self-defense when the baby's mother, Robai Toboko, attempted to chase it away.
According to Ms. Toboko, the hen's wing brushed against the baby's face, causing him to become traumatized and fall unconscious.
Despite frantic efforts to resuscitate the baby, he was pronounced dead, leaving his family and community in shock.
As is the tradition in the village, the hen was beheaded and its meat roasted for the elders to eat, in an attempt to banish evil spirits that may come back to haunt the family.
Ms. Toboko recalled that her baby was not fond of being scared and would panic at slight provocation, but she never imagined that he would lose his life in such a manner.
The incident has left the community in a state of mourning, with hundreds of people attending the baby's burial and catching a glimpse of the hen that caused the tragedy.
