POLICE IN Lusaka has detained a 43 year old dog owner whose five dogs mauled a toddler of Lusaka’s Barlastone area.
A normal routine of going to playing at the neighbour’s house turned deadly, yesterday morning when a three year old girl died after she was attacked by the dogs at her friends house in the neighborhood where she went to visit with her elder brother aged five yesterday morning.
According to Police reports, Tumelo Chikote and her elder brother decided to go and play at their friend’s house around 11:00 hours.
After knocking on the gate, the minor siblings received a vicious welcome from five dogs that immediately jumped to attack them, with all the dogs getting hold of Tumelo the younger one.
Her screams of pain accompanied with that of her brothers fear alerted an older female who was in the house and immediately ran to the rescue.
Unfortunately, she only managed to save the elder boy, as she failed to man handle the five dogs alone, causing her to call for more help from the nearby community members.
As help came, Tumelo was saved, but not completely as she had sustained deep dog bite wounds on her neck and private parts.
The little girl was then Immediately rushed to Matero Level One Hospital for medical attention but she was declared as a brought in dead (BID) because she died upon arriving at the health facility.
Her lifeless body was transferred to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) mortuary were it currently is, awaiting postmortem.
Police Deputy spokesperson Danny Mwale who confirmed both the attack and death of the young girl said the matter was reported to police and the Lusaka City Council.
“The owner of the dogs, identified as Chanda Bwalya, aged 43, have been detained in Police custody waiting to be charged while his dogs have been taken by Lusaka City Council officials who visited the scene,” said Mwale.
Mwale added that during a police visit at the crime scene, officers were informed that the children always go at the very house to play each time their mother goes for work in the morning.
By Buumba Mwitumwa
Kalemba April 26, 2026
