A 50-year-old Early Childhood Development (ECD) teacher has been arrested and charged with culpable homicide after a three-year-old boy drowned in a swimming pool at St Anne’s Primary School in Harare.
Martha Karonda Rice appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, June 5, 2025, following the incident that occurred the previous day at the Mabelreign-based school.
According to state prosecutors, Karonda Rice was the sole adult supervising a group of seven ECD pupils when the tragedy unfolded. She allegedly left the children unattended and went into the main school building, leaving the swimming pool gate open.
During her absence, three-year-old Elroy Tinayeishe Mutandiro is believed to have wandered into the unsecured pool area. He reportedly fell into the water and was later found unresponsive.
Despite efforts by emergency services to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident was reported to police, and Karonda Rice was arrested later that afternoon. She was formally charged with culpable homicide, with prosecutors alleging that her failure to supervise the children and secure the swimming pool area constituted gross negligence that led to the child’s death.
The magistrate denied her bail application and ordered that she remain in custody pending further investigations. The case has been remanded, and she is expected to appear in court again in the coming weeks.
Karonda Rice, a resident of Rugare in Harare, has taught at St Anne’s Primary School for several years. The school has not issued an official statement regarding the incident.
Parents who spoke to Bustop TV News expressed heartbreak and anger over the tragedy. Many questioned how a child could access a swimming pool unsupervised and called for immediate improvements to safety protocols at schools.
“This is every parent’s worst nightmare,” said one parent, who asked not to be named.
“How does a three-year-old get into a swimming pool without anyone noticing?”
The incident has reignited concerns about the adequacy of ECD staffing levels and safety procedures in Zimbabwe’s schools.
No funeral details for Elroy Tinayeishe Mutandiro have been made public yet. His family is said to be devastated by the loss.
