CWC to take charge of newborn after two-year-old brother’s death in Alappuzha
Following a malnourished child’s death, Kerala’s Child Welfare Committee will take charge of the family’s newborn. Minister Bindu Krishna stated that officials will prioritise vulnerable children and provide the mother with counselling.
Following a malnourished child’s death, Kerala’s Child Welfare Committee will take charge of the family’s newborn. Minister Bindu Krishna stated that officials will prioritise vulnerable children and provide the mother with counselling.
Following a malnourished child’s death, Kerala’s Child Welfare Committee will take charge of the family’s newborn. Minister Bindu Krishna stated that officials will prioritise vulnerable children and provide the mother with counselling.
Alappuzha: The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) will take responsibility for the newborn, the seventh child of a couple from Karthikappally whose two-year-old son died allegedly due to malnutrition, Women and Child Development Minister Bindu Krishna said on Tuesday.
“The CWC will ensure the child’s welfare and future. The mother, Thara, will be provided counselling and made aware of contraceptive measures. Alappuzha Medical College Hospital will coordinate the necessary interventions,” the minister said after visiting the family’s home.
Describing the incident as shocking, Bindu Krishna said it should serve as a lesson for the state. She stressed that children’s welfare must be prioritised even when parents are unwilling or unable to provide adequate care.
“The welfare of children will be our priority. Children are also the responsibility of the state. We will prepare a list of vulnerable children to ensure that such an incident does not happen again,” she said.
The couple’s two-year-old son, Rahul, was found dead at their home in Valiyakulangara on Sunday morning. Thara had gone into labour on Saturday and contacted the ward member and other officials for assistance. She was admitted to Vandanam Medical College Hospital, where she gave birth.
Rahul, the couple’s sixth child, suffered from anaemia and weighed just 7.5 kg, significantly below the expected weight of around 12 kg for a child of his age, according to his postmortem examination.
The minister said ASHA workers, anganwadi workers and other officials had previously intervened to protect the children. About a month ago, panchayat officials had taken Thara and her children to Gandhi Bhavan, a care centre in Pathanapuram, over concerns about their welfare. However, she subsequently left the centre with her children.
According to officials, the parents had repeatedly refused to cooperate with healthcare interventions. The couple had previously lost another son. Their four surviving daughters are aged between three and 12 years.
The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights registered a suo motu case on Monday following media reports about Rahul’s death.
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.