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Nyaradzo Bakari/Whinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporters
CHRISTMAS turned tragic for a family from Cowdray Park suburb in Bulawayo after their four-year-old daughter died after being electrocuted in her sleep while a 68-year-old woman from Pumula North mysteriously died in a toilet on Christmas Day.

Beyonce Siwela is suspected to have touched a naked electricity cable as she was turning in her sleep on Saturday.

The cable was connected to an adapter next to the floor where she slept.

Beyonce’s aunt Ms Sindile Siwela said she discovered her niece had been electrocuted in the morning at around 6AM when she tried to wake her up to go to the toilet.

“I went to their room around 6AM to wake her up so that she could go to the toilet. I realised her thumb was in contact with a cable so I just removed her hand and continued waking her. I didn’t think she could have been electrocuted because electricity had tripped. I told myself it could not have had an effect. Little did I know that electricity tripped after electrocuting her,” she said.

“She was a child who loved her sleep so when she didn’t wake up, I just thought she was enjoying her sleep. I realised she was weak, she would fall back each time I tried carrying her. I called my co-tenant and she advised me to call an ambulance.”

Ms Siwela said the ambulance was quick to arrive but Beyonce was pronounced dead 30 minutes after paramedics tried in vain to resuscitate her.

“When the ambulance came, they checked her and they said she was still alive. They tried CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) but it was to no avail. They told us she was dead after about 30 minutes,” she said.

Ms Siwela mourned the tragic death of her niece, who she said she had raised from birth.

She said: “I am in pain because she was more like my own daughter. I raised her from birth and was filled with excitement in anticipation of taking her to school next year for her ECD.”

Ms Siwela said Zesa officials who attended the scene did not find any electrical fault in the house.

Meanwhile, Pauline Tshuma of Pumula North suburb was found dead in a toilet at Mrs Susan Mpala’s home in Matshobana suburb where she had gone to collect money that had been sent by her son from South Africa.

The woman, who was allegedly not suffering any known ailments, was found dead a few minutes after her arrival at Mrs Mpala’s home at around 2PM on Monday.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the incident saying investigations were underway.

“I can confirm receiving a report of sudden death of an elderly woman who was found dead in a toilet. Investigations are underway to establish the cause of her death,” she said.

Insp Simango said the body was ferried to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) Mortuary for post mortem.

A neighbour who preferred anonymity said uGogo MaTshuma died before she was given $100 that she had travelled to fetch.

“Upon uGogo uMaTshuma’s arrival at Mrs Mpala’s home, she asked to use the toilet. After they realised that she had gone for too long, Mrs Mpala followed her only to discover that she had died on the toilet seat.

“Mrs Mpala had arrived from South Africa with money from her son. The two communicated to meet and as soon as she arrived, she asked to use the toilet.

That was the end of her.

“Ugogo uMaTshuma was not sick at all nor was she suffering from any ailment that we are aware of. She was just an unfortunate elderly citizen who had gone to collect money so she could provide a Merry Christmas to her grandchildren whom she had left at home.

“She shocked us by leaving us suddenly in the most unusual and unexpected way. The much anticipated Christmas Day turned into a sad one for her grandchildren,” she said.—@winnie_masara/@NyarieBakie