Bengaluru: A couple in Bengaluru allegedly killed their 11-month-old daughter during an argument and then tried to pass it off as an accidental death.
While the husband, Shekeappa (22) has been arrested, a search is on for his spouse Vijayalakshmi, as reported by The Times of India.
The case, which was first registered as an unnatural death, underwent a dramatic shift following the post-mortem examination that exposed injuries far more severe than those expected from a minor fall from a two-feet high city.
Investigation began after Shekeappa claimed that the infant had accidentally fallen from the city after Vijayalakshmi fell asleep during breastfeeding. The child was immediately taken to East Point Hospital, where doctors declared her dead.
Authorities initially treated the matter as an accidental death, based on the father’s statement. However, the post-mortem report prompted investigators to revisit the case, as per a reports.
The report revealed multiple internal injuries that could not have resulted from a fall from the low cot. It documented extensive internal bleeding and respiratory failure caused by trauma. Investigators also noted injuries on the baby’s face, chest, legs and private parts, strengthening suspicions that the child had been subjected to severe physical violence.
The police then reconstructed what allegedly happened on the fateful day. The couple had an argument after Shekeappa returned home for lunch, the police said.
The child was apparently crying and Vijayalakshmi allegedly kicked her during the altercation. Shekeappa then picked up the baby and threw her onto the ground, inflicting injuries that ultimately proved fatal.
Though she was taken to the hospital immediately, doctors were unable to save the baby.
Investigators have also gone through the family’s domestic circumstances during the probe. Police said the couple had been experiencing marital discord and that Vijayalakshmi was allegedly involved in an affair with a neighbour identified as Nagappa.
Frequent disputes between the couple reportedly contributed to a tense household environment, with investigators alleging that the mother had become indifferent toward the couple’s second child.
Medical evidence played a decisive role in exposing inconsistencies in the parents’ version of events, the police said.
