BULAWAYO- Bulawayo police are investigating the death of a 16-year-old boy in a suspected suicide after he was unhappy with his grandmother’s directive to go to their rural home and plough the fields.
The boy, who has not been named, is believed to have ingested a poisonous substance.
Inspector Nomalanga Msebele of Bulawayo police said the teenager, who lives in Mabutweni suburb, was found unresponsive in his bedroom on November 21.
According to police, the boy’s 71-year-old grandmother had arrived from South Africa the previous day. During dinner, she told him and his 18-year-old brother that they would be accompanying her to the family’s rural home in Mbembesi to prepare fields for planting.
The teenager reportedly objected to the plan before the family retired to bed.
Inspector Msebele said that at around 6AM the next morning, the tragic boy’s 16-year-old female cousin entered his room to clean. She found him awake but still lying under his blankets, and he told her he needed more time to rest.
When she returned at 8AM, he was unresponsive.
“The cousin alerted the grandmother, who noticed that the boy was no longer showing signs of life. Traces of vomit stained with blood were found near him, raising suspicion that he may have ingested a poisonous substance,” Msebele said.
Police sent the body to Mpilo Central Hospital for a post-mortem ad their investigation into the incident continues.
Inspector Msebele urged young people facing emotional distress or family pressure to seek guidance and support instead of resorting to self-harm.
“Taking one’s life does not solve anything, it only brings pain and stress to those left behind,” she said.
Zimbabwe has seen a spike in suicide cases involving children, with mental-health groups citing family conflicts, economic pressures, academic strain, substance abuse and limited access to counselling services as major drivers.
Data from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) shows that more than 2,000 suicide deaths are recorded annually, with adolescents accounting for a growing proportion.
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