THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The DNA test of the baby who was abandoned by a newly married couple in the ‘ammathottil’ (mother’s cradle) of the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare, in the capital, fearing ostracism and rebuke, has been completed. The results are expected within two weeks.
The tests of the child and the couple were carried out at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB). The Child Welfare Committee (CWC), the present custodian of the baby, approached RGCB after the couple sought the return of the child. The woman had given birth to the child four months ago.
The two were in a relationship and did not inform their families about the pregnancy. The woman was eight months pregnant when they married. To avoid suspicion, they kept the pregnancy a secret and moved to a rented house.
A month after their marriage, the woman delivered the baby, and the couple abandoned the child in the ‘ammathottil’ on July 17. The duo later regretted their action and resolved to reclaim the child. They approached the CWC, which placed some conditions before returning the baby. The DNA examination was part of the process.
According to chairperson A Shaniba Beegum, the CWC will take further measures after receiving the DNA test results. “The examination was completed two days ago. It will take two weeks to get the results. There are some formalities after that, before we hand over the child to its parents,” she said.