A horrific act of violence shocked the village of Kirinzi, in Mugina Commune (Bujumbura Province), Burundi, during the night of July 20 to 21, when a 3-year-old boy was killed by his own mother with a machete. Reports say she suffered a mental breakdown after a recent separation from the child’s father.
On Monday morning, residents were terrified to discover the lifeless and mutilated body of Symphorien Ntimpirantije, aged three. His mother, Véronique Niyonzima, 20 years old, was immediately arrested by the police.
According to multiple eyewitnesses gathered at the scene, the woman had been showing signs of severe mental health issues since separating from the child’s father about two weeks prior to the killing, as reported by SOS Medias Burundi.
Family members revealed that she had previously threatened to kill the boy to force his father to return home. On the night of the incident, neighbors reported hearing the child crying and tried to intervene, but were unsuccessful.
By the time help arrived, the child was already dead. When questioned by security forces, the suspect reportedly remained silent.
