Indian-origin doctor mom arrested and charged in Florida for a child’s drowning under her watch.
The incident took place on April 10 but the arrest was made on Wednesday. The 48-year-old Indian-origin doctor is being held without bond in the Orange County Jail and she faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. Subbaiah told the police that she noticed that Khushil had been underwater for 45 seconds or so. The man jumped and brought Khushil in 50 seconds.
She asked the other two to look for him but they said the water was too deep. The total time between the boy being completely submerged and being removed from the water was seven minutes and two seconds, police said. When police interviewed Subbiah, she allegedly said that she ‘froze’ and thought she was ‘going to pass out’ after noticing Khushil had been submerged for an extended period. She also allegedly said she believed she was not strong enough to pull the seven-year-old from the water, which is why she asked for help.
A Louisiana doctor, Sukanthini Subbiah, has been arrested by the Orlando Police Department in Florida and charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter as she was present when seven-year-old Khushil Bandi drowned. Subbiah was visiting her mother in Orlando with her own seven-year-old son identified as DJ by the police. DJ became friends with Khushil and his twin sister who lived in the neighborhood. Khushil and his twin sister were supposed to be under Subbaiah and her mother’s watch one evening and they went to a pool. Immediately, the three children jumped into the pool. Subbaiah sought help from another man who jumped into the water and pulled out Khushil, who was unconscious at the time. Then she approached another man for help.
He was taken off life support on April 17 and pronounced dead. Khushil was rushed to a hospital in a critical condition. After three days, he had no brain activity and he had swelling in his brain and was suffering from seizures. An autopsy report concluded that his cause of death was ruled as complications of drowning.