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Woman in Tamil Nadu kills 18-month-old daughter for crying, say police
The baby suffocated when its mother tried to stop it from crying.
A 25-year-old woman allegedly suffocated her 18-month-old daughter to death because the toddler was reportedly crying for a long time in Walajapet, Vellore district on Friday night, police said on Saturday.
Police have arrested G Pavitra (25), the mother of the baby and resident of Walajapet, 108 km west of Chennai.
“Pavitra was working in a private clothing store in Kancheepuram town. After the work, she came to her rented house on Friday evening. When she was reached the house, her daughter was crying for a long time. This apparently angered Pavitra, who pressed her shawl against the nose of the toddler. The child fainted due to suffocation,” said a police officer who did not want to be named.
The officer said Pavitra panicked after her baby fell unconscious daughter and rushed to a hospital.
“When a doctor with Walajapet general hospital asked the reason for the child’s condition, Pavitra lied that she had fainted. The doctor confirmed the death of the child. As the doctor found something suspicious with Pavitra’s behaviour, he informed us,” the police officer said.
Her husband Gowri Shankar (30) had left them some time ago. Police said she had married Shankar in 2011 and the couple also has an eight-year-old girl.
“Pavitra said that her husband left her recently suspecting her of having an extramarital affair. Thereafter, her mother started staying with her to take care of the children,” the police officer said.
The officer during the course of the investigation Pavitra confessed of killing the child “unintentionally” to stop her from crying.
“Pavitra said murdering the child was not her intention. She has been booked for murder,” the police officer said.