BEITBRIDGE GIRL SURVIVES SIX DAYS IN DISUSED WELL

By SBT Reporter, Harare

A 16-year-old girl has survived six days trapped in a disused well in Beitbridge East after her father allegedly dumped her inside and abandoned her, leaving the community shocked. The teenager was rescued on Monday morning from the approximately 12-metre-deep well in Tongwe Village, Ward 4, under Headman Foromela’s area.

She reportedly remained trapped for six days without food or water. Logs and tree branches previously discarded in the well are believed to have prevented her from falling further underground. The girl, whose identity is being withheld because she is a minor, is currently admitted to Beitbridge District Hospital, where she is receiving medical attention.

A police source close to the investigations said officers had not yet located the girl’s parents after finding their homestead deserted. “Investigations are ongoing as we follow leads to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident,” the source said. The motive behind the alleged incident remains unknown.

Beitbridge District Medical Officer Dr Lenos Samhere was not readily available to comment on the teenager’s condition. Chief Tshitaudze of Beitbridge confirmed the incident on Tuesday, describing it as disturbing and urging families to seek the assistance of traditional leaders when dealing with domestic disputes. “This is disturbing, and we are calling on all community members to be their neighbour’s keeper. What happened to that child is worrying, and we hope the matter will be resolved soon,” he said.

He said the community was awaiting the outcome of police investigations and condemned the alleged treatment of the teenager. “We don't condone such behaviour by parents. Now the child is traumatised and fragile. In fact, the community is still shaken by this incident,” he said.

Some community members, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the girl had experienced unfair treatment at home before the incident. They claimed she had been made to sleep separately from her siblings in a makeshift shelter reportedly constructed from plastic sheeting and other materials. They also alleged that she was not treated with the same affection and care as the other three children in the family.

A local social worker involved in the team assisting the teenager, Mrs Babongile Gora, said attention must now turn to her physical and emotional recovery. “This child has endured severe trauma. Beyond her physical survival, we must focus on her emotional and psychological healing,” she said. Gora said children who experience such trauma require consistent, specialised support and protection from stigma and further distress.

“We are working with health, police, and other stakeholders to ensure her best interests come first. Recovery will take time. We appeal to the community to support, not expose her. Let us give her time to heal,” she said. The incident has raised serious concerns about child protection and the responsibility of families and communities to safeguard vulnerable children.

As investigations continue, the teenager's recovery and protection remain the immediate priority.

Beitbridge girl rescued from well