A two-year-old boy died in Alappuzha district under circumstances of suspected malnutrition, prompting the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) to register a case. The child, identified as Rahul, was found unresponsive at his home in Karthikappally on Sunday and was later declared dead at a government hospital in Haripad.
Authorities have initiated a formal probe into the incident, with the Thrikkunnapuzha police registering a case of unnatural death. A postmortem examination was subsequently conducted to determine the medical cause of the child's passing. According to a senior inspector at the local police station, the autopsy findings revealed that the boy was suffering from severe anaemia. Crucially, the child weighed only 7.6 kg, which is significantly lower than the average weight of 12 kg expected for his age group.
Officials have confirmed that a histopathology test is currently underway to further clarify the exact cause of death, with the final report still pending. Following the incident, the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) has moved to take the couple’s remaining four children into its care. The mother of the children, who gave birth to a seventh child just last week, is currently receiving care at a hospital along with the newborn.
The tragedy has drawn intense scrutiny toward the family's living conditions and the state's prior interventions. The KSCPCR has officially sought detailed explanations from several district-level authorities, including the district medical officer, the secretary of the Karthikappally grama panchayat, the district child protection officer, and the local Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) supervisor.
Minister for Women and Child Development Bindhu Krishna described the death as an “extremely painful” incident. She noted that the Women and Child Development Department had intervened on multiple occasions to provide better care for the children, including temporary placement in a shelter home. Local representatives echoed these concerns, revealing that the family had previously been moved to Gandhi Bhavan to receive consistent food and medical support.
Babitha Jayan, a district panchayat member, stated that the family returned to their rental residence in Karthikappally just two weeks after being placed in the care of the institution. She added that efforts to assist the family were complicated by resistance from the parents. According to Jayan, the mother had threatened self-harm when authorities attempted to intervene, which made it difficult for officials to proceed with protective measures. Furthermore, officials noted that the parents had reportedly refused to send their children to school, further isolating the family from social support systems.
This is not the first instance of a child death within the family, as officials noted that another sibling had passed away several years ago, though the specific cause for that death remains unclear. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, acknowledging that the family resides within his constituency, stated that the matter has been brought to his attention. As the investigation continues, authorities are reviewing what additional assistance or measures might be required for the surviving children and the family moving forward.
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