An eight-year-old girl had to fight for her life in hospital while her adoptive father and his two sons lie in the mortuary after eating poisoned food on 25 January at their Ext 7 home.
This after her Zimbabwean father, Mthusi Nkomo (39), had washed and ironed the children’s school uniforms and phoned, and wrote an impassioned love letter to, his pregnant partner and mother of the children, Sindy Mgqibelo, to come back.
According to ward committee member, Sipho Silango, Nkomo had also written to relatives telling them of the impending deaths, which he attributed to his partner’s lack of reciprocal affection and not caring about him and their children.
Nkomo died with his sons Simphiwe (6), who he adopted from his partner, and his own son Nkosinathi (2), after eating chips he had laced with poison.
Silango, said at around 9 pm, neighbours responded to the little girl’s screams for help when her father was trying to force her to eat the poisoned food after he and her brothers had consumed their share.
“The neighbours called the Emergency Management Services and the police [came to arrest] him but he confessed to the poisoning and asked them to remove the handcuffs as he was about to die, before he frothed at the mouth and died after the sons,” Silango said.
He added that the daughter was rushed to hospital where her stomach was pumped. The hospital managed to contact an aunt to advise her that the little girl was in a serious condition. The 8-year-old has since been discharged from hospital and is recuperating at home.
Silango further said that neighbours claimed the deceased man had often spoken to the partner telephonically, pleading with her to return. His patience finally wore out Monday when his plea included a message about the impending deaths and that he would have loved to hug her before he died.
Messages to relatives informed them that he had killed himself and the children to avoid their suffering after his death, as their mother couldn’t care for them.
The mother is said to have phoned a friend to tell her daughter and her brothers not to eat anything from the father. This, Silango said, probably saved her from consuming much of the poisoned food. He added that Mgqibelo had alleged that she wanted to be with her family to escape abuse by her partner.
Police are investigating the incident. Funeral arrangements are being made and Silango said the City was approached for assistance.
The mother has since moved elsewhere to be with her relatives. The children will be buried during the course of this week, while the father’s funeral is suspected will take place in Zimbabwe at his home.
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