PALAKKAD: In a dramatic turn of events, the Kozhinjampara police on Wednesday took into custody the mother of two children who were found drowned inside a concrete water tank at their rented home at Koorankad near Kozhinjampara, after she allegedly confessed to killing them by drowning.
The woman, Nivedya, wife of Manalkad John Kumar, reportedly confessed when questioned by family members on Wednesday morning and repeated the confession during police questioning. Police have initiated steps to formally arrest her, Kozhinjampara sub-inspector AK Sreejith said.
“Since the death of the children, family members and neighbours had raised suspicions about the circumstances. On Wednesday morning, the family members questioned her and she reportedly confessed. During our questioning also, she repeated the confession. The exact motive is yet to be ascertained, but it appears that family issues may have led to the crime,” the sub-inspector told TNIE.
The deceased were identified as five-year-old Jennifer Juliet and her three-year-old brother Robin Christopher, children of John Kumar and Nivedya. The family had moved into the rented house at Koorankad around two months ago after previously living with Kumar’s parents at Palaniyar Palayam.
According to the initial police account, Nivedya was preparing food in the kitchen while the children were playing inside the house. She later told police that she noticed they were missing and found them inside the concrete water tank in a bathroom at the rear of the house.
The children were taken to a private hospital at Athani, where doctors declared them dead on arrival. Kumar had gone to work at the time.
The tank was around three feet high and was reportedly full of water when the children were found.
Police had initially said there were no visible injury marks on the bodies and that the deaths appeared to be due to drowning. Following the alleged confession, investigators suspect the children may not have sustained visible injuries because of their young age and the alleged involvement of their mother.
“The children being small, they may not have resisted or sustained visible injuries,” police said.
Vadakarapathy grama panchayat president Dinesh S said the deaths had shocked residents of the locality.
Police are continuing their investigation to establish the circumstances and motive behind the deaths.
