Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
A ONE-YEAR-OLD toddler was run over by a neighbour’s vehicle after crawling underneath it while the driver was unaware in Hobhouse suburb last week.
Acting Manicaland police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Chinyoka confirmed the incident, and said a culpable homicide case has since been opened against the driver.
“I can confirm a fatal road traffic accident which occurred on March 2, in Hobhouse suburb, where a one-year-four-month-old toddler died after being run over by a vehicle,” said Ass Insp Chinyoka.
The deceased has been identified as Munashe Maveneka (1), who resided in the same neighbourhood as the driver involved in the incident.
“The driver, Simon Tatira (25), of Hobhouse suburb, was driving a Honda Fit along an unnamed road in the suburb with no passengers on board.
“He had stopped his vehicle by the roadside for about five minutes while speaking to a friend.
“At that moment, the toddler crawled from her place of residence following her mother who had gone to a neighbour’s house and ended up underneath the parked vehicle without the driver’s knowledge,” he said.
Assistant Inspector Chinyoka said Tatira later drove off from the spot, unaware that the child was beneath the vehicle.
“As he moved the vehicle, the left rear wheel ran over the toddler. The driver immediately stopped after realising that he had run over something,” said Ass Insp Chinyoka, adding that Tatira disembarked from the vehicle and discovered the child lying motionless on the ground.
The matter was immediately reported to the police and officers from Mutare Traffic attended the scene.
The toddler was rushed to St Joseph’s Mission Hospital where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The vehicle did not sustain any damage and was later taken to the Vehicle Examination Department in Mutare for inspection.
Ass Insp Chinyoka urged motorists to exercise extreme caution in residential areas where children may be playing or moving around unnoticed.
“We urge motorists to always check around their vehicles before driving off, especially in residential areas where children are present. Small children can easily move around unnoticed and such tragic incidents can occur,” he said, further urging parents and guardians to ensure that toddlers are closely supervised at all times.
This is a case of negligence by the mother of the child. She is the one to be warned. I can’t imagine a driver checking under one’s car for babies every time one starts a vehicle, particularly after having stopped on a public road.