A two-year-old boy died recently after he was electrocuted at his parents’ house at Plot
10 Portlet Farm in Chinhoyi. He is said to have inserted a steel nail into a live socket.
Mashonaland West Police spokesperson, Inspector Margaret Chitove, confirmed this
sad incident saying Leeroy Lionel Sakatero was electrocuted and the incident happened
on September 13 around 1pm in his parents’ bedroom.
The child is said to have been playing with a steel nail which he then used to insert in a
live socket in his parent’s bedroom and then used his tongue to lick the nail which then
led to him getting electrocuted. He also sustained visible marks oh his hand and on his
left cheek.
While all this was happening, the mother of the boy, Nomsa Tembo (26), was outside
doing house chores.
The child was rushed to Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital where he was pronounced dead
upon arrival. The matter was reported to Chinhoyi Rural who later attended the scene
and the body was conveyed to Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital for post mortem.
Police emphasised the safety of children and urged parents and guardians to jealously
guard the safety of the children, especially around electric gadgets and also not to
expose them to harmful objects.
Elders, said the police, should try by all means to protect children because they don’t
know how dangerous some things they play with are.