Alappuzha toddler's death: Child Rights Commission registers case, minister calls incident shocking

The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights on Monday registered a suo motu case in connection with the death of a two-year-old boy, allegedly due to malnutrition, in Karthikappally.

Rahul, the sixth child of Thaimootil Rajesh and Thara, died on Sunday morning. His postmortem examination revealed that he suffered from anaemia and weighed just 7.5 kg, significantly below the expected weight of around 12 kg for a child of his age.

Commission member T C Jalaja Mol initiated the case based on media reports. The Commission has sought explanations from the District Medical Officer, the Karthikappally Grama Panchayat secretary, the District Child Protection Officer and the panchayat's Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) supervisor.

Meanwhile, Women and Child Development Minister Bindu Krishna told Onmanorama that the incident was shocking and deeply distressing.

She said panchayat and health officials had earlier taken the children to Gandhi Bhavan, a care centre in Pathanapuram. However, the parents subsequently took them away.

Panchayat officials had earlier told Onmanorama that alleged parental neglect had contributed to the child's death. The couple had previously lost another son. Their four surviving daughters are aged between three and 12 years. Thara gave birth to another baby on Sunday.

Police said they were awaiting a pathology report in connection with the child's death. Further proceedings would be initiated after the report was received, they said, adding that all those concerned would be questioned.

The minister said the incident should serve as a lesson for Kerala, stressing that children's welfare must be prioritised even when parents are unwilling or unable to provide adequate care.

About a month ago, Karthikappally panchayat officials had taken Thara and her children to Gandhi Bhavan in Pathanapuram. However, she subsequently left the centre with her children. Officials had also reportedly made repeated attempts to ensure that she received medical care during her pregnancy and that the children received the necessary attention and treatment, but their efforts did not succeed.