BULAWAYO-
A
16-year-old
teenage
girl
has
died
after
allegedly
ingesting
poison
shortly
after
checking
her
November
2025
Ordinary
Level
results,
Bulawayo
police
said.
Police
said
the
juvenile,
a
resident
of
Nguboyenja
suburb,
consumed
a
cockroach
insecticide
after
discovering
that
she
had
passed
only
two
subjects
out
of
seven.
The
incident
occurred
on
January
16
at
around
9.30PM
when
the
teenager
accessed
her
results
through
the
ZIMSEC
website.
“Upon
discovering
that
she
only
passed
two
subjects,
she
became
devastated
and
started
crying,”
said
Inspector
Nomalanga
Msebele.
Authorities
said
the
girl
later
rushed
to
the
kitchen,
where
she
took
Dichlorvos
insecticide
from
a
cupboard
and
drank
it.
“She
was
seen
by
one
of
her
cousins
who
screamed
and
quickly
snatched
the
insecticide
while
advising
others
of
what
had
happened,”
Msebele
said.
Police
said
relatives
attempted
to
administer
first
aid
by
giving
the
teenager
milk
and
charcoal
before
rushing
her
to
Mpilo
Central
Hospital.
“She
passed
on
while
being
admitted,”
police
said.
Police
urged
young
people
facing
emotional
distress
to
seek
help
from
parents,
teachers,
counsellors,
or
trusted
individuals
rather
than
resorting
to
self-harm.
They
also
appealed
to
parents
and
guardians
to
ensure
that
pesticides,
poisons,
and
other
toxic
substances
are
kept
out
of
reach
of
children.
The
tragedy
comes
amid
growing
concern
over
mental
health
challenges
among
learners
following
the
release
of
national
examination
results,
with
education
stakeholders
repeatedly
calling
for
stronger
psychosocial
support
systems
in
schools
and
communities.