16-year-old girl Zambian girl commits suicide after mother accused her of stealing pants

A 16-year-old Zambian girl, Agness Katenga, has committed suicide after her mother accused her of stealing three new pants.

The grade 10 pupil of Lunga Day Secondary School in Mwinilunga district of Northwestern Province, Zambia, reportedly sneaked out of the house on the night of Saturday and hung herself on a mango tree in the compound after her mother had beaten her for alleged stealing of pants.

The North-Western Province Police, which confirmed the incident, said the deceased was angered by the accusation and humiliation and decided to kill herself.

A family member, who spoke to a local media in Mwinilunga on Monday afternoon, claimed that the pants were later discovered in the late girl’s mother’s suitcase.

READ ALSO: Arrested Zambia minister charged, faces 5-yr prison sentence

According to the source, the deceased’s mother bought the underwear last Wednesday, put them in a suitcase and forgot because she was busy.

“When she wanted to wear one of them, she searched in four other bags except the other old suitcase and found nothing. So she decided to call her daughter, whom she then accused of stealing her new underwear.

“When Agness denied, the mother beat her up. The girl got annoyed and later hanged herself in a mango tree at night.

“After police officers removed the body and took it to the hospital, other female relatives searched the mother’s bags and found three new underwear in an old suitcase,” he stated.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now