Classroom snake horror as 17-year-old girl is killed by black mamba during lesson in Zimbabwe
- A 17-year-old girl was killed when a black mamba entered her classroom
- She died 20 minutes after her bite on her way to hospital
- Family and community are in shock after a sudden and tragic incident
A black mamba who walked into a classroom of teenage students in Zimbabwe bit a 17-year-old who died 20 minutes later.
Melody Chiputura felt a sting on her thigh and brought it to the teacher’s attention when the snake was finally noticed. Some students ran, others brushed Melody aside while a few students killed the poisonous animal.
Although she was rushed to hospital, she eventually died from the venom of the black mamba, considered one of the most venomous snakes in the world.
The black mamba grows up to 2.5 meters while its venom is so potent that two drops are likely to kill a person. The snake is not named for the color of its scales but for the color of the inside of its mouth and tongue
Christopher Murenga, headmaster of Rushinga High School where Melody attended, recalled the incident to Herald Zimbabwe, saying: ‘She immediately screamed, saying something had bitten her.
“We are all in shock. We have no idea where this snake came from. The classroom is away from potential snake habitats.
Melody was buried near her home, leaving her family, community and classmates in shock as no one knows exactly how the snake got into the classroom.
However, it is believed that the snake entered the classroom while all the students were busy in the field doing sports.
Black mambas are common in Zimbabwe and even a local football team is named after them in the capital Harare
A senior provincial education official, Themba Mangwiro, said there was no tall grass around the school where the snake could have been.
“This incident made us realize that we need to improve disaster risk management, which is not given enough attention in schools,” she said.
Melody’s father, Mr. Joseph Chipitura said, “It’s hard to accept and it’s painful. I don’t understand how a snake can come into a classroom and bite my daughter.
The black mamba is common throughout southern Africa, particularly in Zimbabwe where the Black Mambas FC football team is based in the capital, Harare.
