A 21-year-old mother took her life after murdering her 5-year-old daughter at the old Ombili informal settlement at Otjiwarongo in the Otjozondjupa Region on Saturday.

Police in the town were alerted to the crime between 16h50 and 17h00.

According to Regional Police Community Liaison Officer Maureen Mbeha, the deceased have been identified as Hileni Vemujendavi Virere and Winny Virere.

Mbeha says Hileni strangled her daughter to death, after which she proceeded to commit suicide with an electrical cord she tied to the roof of her shack.

A friend of Hileni alerted the police after going to check on her after she had not responded to calls or texts the whole day.

Upon arrival at Hileni’s, she was met with a foul smell emitting from the shack, resulting in her calling on the police, who broke down the structure.

Winny’s lifeless body was found laying on the floor with injuries to her face and blood oozing from her nose.

Mbeha says no suicide note was left behind.

The corpses were transported to Otjiwarongo State Hospital for certification and a pending autopsy.

An inquest has since been opened, and police investigations continue.

The next of kin are informed.