13 members of same family die in Namibia after eating toxic porridge, reports say

WINDHOEK, Namibia (AP) — Namibia’s state broadcaster says 13 people from the same family have died after eating porridge that authorities believe became toxic when it was mixed with a fermented substance left over from a homemade alcoholic beverage. The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation reported that four more people are in a critical condition in the hospital. NBC, quoting the Namibian health ministry, said at least 20 people consumed the “poisonous or toxic” porridge after it was mixed with sediment from homemade beer. The incident happened in the Kavango East region in the far northeast of the country. The victims ranged in age from 2 to 33, NBC said.