What began as a simple craving for mangoes has ended in tragedy, leaving residents of Traditional Authority Kachenga in Balaka District’s mouths agape.
A woman identified as Falida Matenda has died after falling from a mango tree she had climbed to pluck the seasonal fruit on Tuesday morning.
Matenda, who came from Malingano Village 2, Traditional Authority Mwambo in Zomba, had moved to Balaka in 2024 together with her husband.
Later that year, her husband travelled to South Africa in search of greener pastures, leaving her under the care of her mother-in-law.
According to inspector Gladson M’bumpha, Public Relations Officer for Balaka Police Station, the incident occurred when Matenda slipped and fell while attempting to pick mangoes.
“The deceased climbed the tree to pluck mangoes, but unfortunately, she lost balance and fell down.She was rushed to Mbera Health Centre where she was pronounced dead upon arrival,” said M’bumpha.
He added that a postmortem examination conducted at the health facility revealed that death was due to severe head injuries and loss of blood.
Inspector M’bumpha has since described the incident as a tragic accident and urged the public to exercise caution when climbing trees, especially during the fruiting season.
Meanwhile, the community remains in shock, with many describing the incident as a bizarre and heartbreaking loss that turned a simple fruit craving into a fatal tragedy.
