The Haunting Photo That Caused The Death Of Its Owner
The tragic story of how photojournalism killed Kevin Carter
On 26th March,1993, a photograph titled “the struggling girl” appeared in the New York Times. It was taken by Kevin Carter, an internationally renowned South African photojournalist. The iconic photograph, also known as “the vulture and the little girl”, was taken in South Sudan and it captured a vulture patiently observing a starving Sudanese child. It was taken when residents of the country experienced severe famine.
Sadly, the details leading to the eventual capture of the image and what happened afterwards have made the photograph one with a complex narrative. It reveals the extent of human suffering in a helpless situation.
History of the photograph
In the same year the photograph was taken, Robert Hadley, the information officer for the UN operation Lifeline Sudan had invited Kevin Carter to come down to report about the famine in Southern Sudan. While working, Carter saw a little girl who was on her way to the United Nations Feeding Centre. She was so tired, famished and had stopped to rest.
While she rested on the road, a vulture had landed behind her and watched patiently. Not wanting to disturb, Carter watched from a distance…
