Nine months Chipata baby shot while sleeping
CRIMEBy Lusaka Times — Lusaka Times
A shocking and deeply distressing incident has rocked the peaceful community of Mchenga Compound in Chipata District, where a nine-month-old infant is currently battling for survival at the Chipata Central Hospital. The helpless baby girl sustained critical gunshot wounds while fast asleep inside her family residence, in an attack carried out by unknown perpetrators under the cover of night. According to official police reports, the harrowing ordeal came to light when the victim's mother, Karen Phiri, rushed to make a formal complaint. Authorities at Chipata Central Police Station officially registered the case, triggering an immediate and intensive investigation. Law enforcement officers are currently combing the neighborhood for clues, ballistics evidence, and eyewitness accounts to piece together how a firearm was discharged into a residential dwelling, endangering an innocent infant. Medical personnel at Chipata Central Hospital have confirmed that the baby remains in critical condition as pediatric specialists work round the clock to stabilize her vitals. The brazen nature of the attack has sent shockwaves throughout the Eastern Province capital, leaving residents gripped by fear and demanding answers regarding community safety and the proliferation of illicit firearms. Local leaders and community stakeholders have expressed profound outrage over the incident, calling on residents with any information regarding suspicious activities or armed individuals in Mchenga Compound to cooperate fully with the police. As security forces intensify patrols and intelligence gathering in the area, public anxiety mounts over the urgent need to curb rising incidents of violent crime and safeguard the most vulnerable members of society.