Kerala Police Arrest Woman in Infant's Death Incident

A 22-year-old woman and her friend were arrested by Kerala police after the body of her infant child was exhumed near Thakazhi. The case came to light when the woman sought hospital treatment and provided a contradictory statement. An ongoing investigation seeks to determine the cause of the child's death.

Kerala police on Sunday arrested a 22-year-old woman and her friend after exhuming the body of her infant child from a place near Thakazhi.

The police have detained Poochackal resident Donna, 22, and Thakazhi resident Thomas, 24, after forensic experts exhumed the two-day-old child's body from a vacant land plot.

Another accomplice is under police custody. The incident emerged on August 10, when the woman sought treatment at a private hospital in Kochi. A senior police official disclosed that the woman had claimed to have abandoned her child at an 'Ammathottil' centre in Alappuzha.

The Ammathottil program, initiated by the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare (KSCCW), offers cradle centres where children can be left safely. However, hospital officials found inconsistencies in her story and alerted the police, leading to the arrest of her friends.

Preliminary reports indicate the woman gave birth on August 7. Alappuzha District police chief, Chaitra Teresa John, stated that the child's body appears to be two days old. The cause of death will be determined following a post-mortem examination.

(With inputs from agencies.)