Pamela Shumba    Senior Reporter
THE baby whose mother committed suicide by leaping out of the second floor of a hospital maternity ward in Bulawayo last month is in safe hands and growing well, a close relative said yesterday.Epifania Dube, 20, from Zimbili resettlement area killed herself days after giving birth at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH)’s Lady Rodwell maternity ward.

Dube’s body was found outside the maternity building by the hospital’s security personnel on March 17.

She reportedly left a suicide note accusing her in-laws of “hating her”, and apologised to her husband Deadline Ngwenya, 24, for infecting him with HIV.

Ngwenya’s uncle, Jerusalem Phiri told Chronicle yesterday that the baby, who had stayed in hospital because he could not feed, was in safe hands and growing well.

“After Dube’s burial, we discussed as relatives and we agreed that the baby would be taken care of by his father’s relatives. His grandmother, who stays in the same village is taking care of him and we are happy that he is a healthy baby,” said Phiri.

He was, however, shocked by reports that their daughter-in-law left a suicide note which he said they had not seen.

“We had not stayed with her and there was no reason to hate her. She came with her relatives to inform us of her pregnancy and we accepted her as our daughter-in-law. It was agreed that she would go back home and come back after giving birth. When she gave birth, we received the news with joy and looked forward to her coming home. We were shocked to learn that she had committed suicide,” said Phiri.

He told Chronicle that the family still did not understand why Dube committed suicide, adding they were yet to see the suicide note that she allegedly left behind.

“What worries us is that we did not see the suicide note that our daughter-in-law left. We approached the police but we did not manage to get the letter. We are appealing to anyone who might have the letter to give it to us so that we know what really happened to her. It is unfortunate that Dube committed suicide and left her newly born baby behind, but as parents of the little boy, we are prepared to take care of him,” said Phiri.

Dube was buried at West Park Cemetery in Bulawayo last month. At the time of her death, patients who were with her at UBH told Chronicle that she had left a suicide note that was taken by the police. Police could not immediately comment on the case yesterday.

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