Nurse Arrested Over Disappearance of Infant's Corpse at Zimbabwe's Chitungwiza Central Hospital

 

A nurse has been arrested in connection with the shocking disappearance of an eight-month-old infant’s body from the mortuary at Chitungwiza Central Hospital in Zimbabwe. The case has sparked public outrage, prompting a full police investigation into potential violations surrounding the handling of human remains.

The nurse, 32-year-old Munashe Ganyiwa, was part of the nursing team at the hospital and had been caring for the infant, Emmanuel Charindapanze. Emmanuel was admitted to the pediatric ward on Saturday. Reports say the child suddenly developed severe medical complications in the early hours of Sunday. His mother, 46-year-old Shamiso Nyause, raised the alarm, prompting Nurse Ganyiwa to respond. She subsequently declared the infant deceased.

Following hospital procedures, Nurse Ganyiwa removed the child’s clothing and returned them to the mother. Another staff member was assigned to transport the infant’s body to the mortuary.

However, when Emmanuel’s parents returned to the hospital on Monday to collect the body for burial, mortuary staff were unable to locate their child's remains. Despite checking all pediatric cases in the facility, Emmanuel's corpse was missing. Nurse Ganyiwa, when contacted, speculated that the body might have been mistakenly cremated—a claim that deeply distressed the grieving family.

Harare provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, confirmed the arrest, stating, "We have detained a healthcare worker in Chitungwiza regarding potential violations concerning human remains. The investigation began after the parents were unable to locate their child's body despite following proper procedures with hospital administration."

Authorities are continuing their investigation into this deeply troubling case, seeking answers from both the medical community and the grieving family.