ALAPPUZHA: The post-mortem report has confirmed that the tragic death of a two-year-old boy in Karthikappally was caused by severe malnutrition and extreme poverty. Medical findings revealed that the child was severely underweight, weighing only 7 kilograms instead of the normal expected weight of 12 kilograms. The report also noted severe anemia and a lack of proper care. The autopsy was conducted following strong suspicions raised by local residents regarding the circumstances of the death. The deceased child has been identified as Rahul, the two-year-old son of Rajesh and Tara, residents of Mahadevikad, Karthikappally. Earlier, the father, Rajesh, had claimed that the child died after milk choked his throat.
The incident occurred on Sunday morning. Notably, another child born to the couple had also passed away a few months prior, and the couple currently has four other surviving children. The latest tragedy unfolded while Tara was admitted to a hospital for delivery.
Following earlier complaints from locals that the parents were neglecting their children, elected representatives had recently intervened and shifted the family to a care center in Pathanapuram. However, the couple left the center of their own accord and resumed living in a rented house, shortly after which the toddler died—a sequence of events that heightened local suspicion.
For more details: Navamalayalam.com