Kerala Vaduthala murders: 5 members of a family, including 3 kids, found dead at house; poisoning suspected

KOCHI: Five members of a family, including three children, were found dead at a two-storied house located on Karshaka Road in Vaduthala, Kochi, on Saturday morning. It is suspected that the adults died by suicide after killing the children.

The deceased have been identified as Aswathi Nair (36), her mother Sreekumari (58), and Ashwati's minor children, including two boys aged 14 and 4 and a two-year-old daughter. The adults were found hanging while the children were found dead on the bed. Police suspect that the children were poisoned, but only an autopsy report will confirm the cause of death.

A senior officer with the city police said that they recovered a suicide note from the house. "Aswathi's husband had acute liver disease reportedly due to a drinking problem. He died by suicide in Aug last year. Before his death, the couple became estranged. After she left for her house, the husband's family members and some locals tried to mediate between them for reconciliation, though it failed. He later died by suicide. In the suicide note, it is indicated that the husband's family had started to blame her for his suicide," said the officer.

He added that as per preliminary investigation, about a month after the husband's death, the woman prepared a will stating that after the death of her and her children, their assets should go to one ‘Providence Home'.

"We suspect that the woman must have been contemplating suicide for some time since the will was made back then. We don't know what this Providence Home is, and efforts are on to identify it," said the officer. He added that the bodies of all the victims were found well dressed.

He added that the family, natives of Vilappilsala in Thiruvananthapuram, came to Kochi only two months ago. "The older boy had some health issues and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city. We have found medicines at the rented house, and efforts are on to collect his medical history," said the officer.

He added that the house was taken on rent temporarily in the name of medical treatment, and they were supposed to vacate it on Friday. The house owner's relative checked the house after the family did not respond to calls.

"The owner's relative used a spare key to open the house and found the bodies. The air-conditioner of the house was working. The family was last seen on March 17, and the death is estimated to have occurred some time after that," said the officer.

The bodies were moved to Ernakulam general hospital and Kalamassery medical college for an autopsy. The relatives of the family have been alerted, said police.