Mutare — The Hobhouse community is still frozen in fear and confusion after a chilling tragedy involving 39-year-old Netsai Chikuni, the woman now accused of brutally stabbing her 3-year-old son, Ngonidzashe, before reportedly sleeping next to his lifeless body.
What started as an ordinary night in Mushamukadzi Section quickly spiralled into one of the most disturbing cases Zimbabwe has seen all year.
According to neighbours, Netsai stormed into her brother’s house “like someone running from a demon,” breaking down a locked door while shouting incoherently. Moments later, screams filled the night — then sudden silence. When police arrived, they found two blood-stained knives on the floor, the toddler’s body covered in deep wounds to the head and neck, and Netsai lying beside him with cuts on her arms and legs. The horror scene left even seasoned officers shaken.
Residents said it felt like a ritual, a mental breakdown, or something far darker — a mother turning into the very danger her child trusted her to run to. Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed investigations are ongoing, urging the public to stop spreading wild theories until mental health, drug use, or spiritual influences are ruled out.
Netsai, originally from Chisumbanje under Chief Garahwa, had been staying in Mutare for weeks. Tenants say she had been showing signs of emotional distress, but no one imagined anything close to this devastating outcome. The community is now demanding answers, counselling, and accountability as Zimbabwe continues to grapple with rising cases of family-related violence.
As the nation mourns baby Ngonidzashe, questions continue to rise:
? Could this tragedy have been prevented?
? Was Netsai battling mental illness?
? Did neighbours miss the warning signs?
For now, Zimbabwe is united in grief — and in the chilling realisation that sometimes the biggest danger lives inside the home
