AN 18-month-old baby boy from Dewure communal lands in Gutu last Monday met a painful death after he allegedly slipped from his mother's back during a brawl and drowned in a drum brimming with boiling traditional beer.

According to eyewitnesses, Talkmore Chikuni of Farm 225 in Dewure East, died after slipping off his mother's back and into the drum of beer at their homestead.

It is alleged that the toddler's 35-year-old mother, Dematrio Chikuni (nee Potoriro) was involved in a scuffle with an unnamed villager while the baby was strapped to her back.

Masvingo police spokesman Inspector Tineyi Matake yesterday confirmed receiving the report.

He said investigations were ongoing and they were yet to determine the cause of the fight between the two villagers.

"We are still investigating the case following a report that a toddler slipped into a drum full of boiling traditional beer and as of now no arrests have been made," said Insp Matake.

The police spokesperson said Talkmore's body was taken to Gutu Mission Hospital for a post-mortem and they were still waiting for the results.

It is alleged that on the fateful day Chikuni was preparing traditional beer with her sister at their homestead.

A neighbour who was present said: "We were standing a distance away when we suddenly heard some noise and we saw that she (Chikuni) was arguing with another woman.

"They started fighting and the towel that she was using to strap the baby to her back loosened.

"The baby slipped and fell into the drum that was on fire. By the time the mother managed to pull him out he was already dead."

Efforts to get a comment from family members were fruitless at the time of writing but several neighbours said they had heard about the baby getting scalded to death in boiling beer.