In the Headlines...

September 3, 2010
A central Malawi newspaper, The Nation, reads; "Mother Recounts the Ordeal of Losing 2 Sons and Youngest Daughter" in what appeared to be a suicide ritual. The mother of the three ages 31, 27, and 16 perished after throwing themselves into a blazing fire outside of the parents home. Another child who initially survived, was taken to a Blantyre Hospital but later died of severe burns.
"The deaths followed three days and nights of continuous prayer to exorcise their parents of alleged witchcraft. One of the children undressed their 52 yr old mother and then attempted to throw her also in the fire, but she managed to escape. She and her husband fled the home running to neighbors for help. They returned just when the children were throwing themselves onto the fire, back first, hands clenching a Bible each. The tragic drama lasted for 5 hours." The mother stated, 'it hurts to recall the picture of my children jumping to their deaths. The loss of Annie, my youngest daughter, is the most painful out of the three because I know she was pushed. She was never part of the ritual.'