Kochi Family Tragedy: Five Found Dead in Vaduthala House
In a shocking incident, five members of a family, including three young children, were discovered deceased at a rented two-storied residence on Karshaka Road in Vaduthala, Kochi, on Saturday morning. The victims have been identified as Sreekumari, aged 58, her daughter Aswathi Nair, 36, and Aswathi's three children—two boys aged 14 and 4, and a two-year-old girl.
Discovery of the Bodies and Initial Findings
Police reported that the two women were found hanging inside a room, while the children were lying dead on a bed. The grim discovery was made after a relative of the house owner used a spare key to enter the premises when repeated attempts to contact the family went unanswered. Authorities suspect that the children may have been poisoned before the women died by suicide, though the exact causes of death will be confirmed following postmortem examinations scheduled at Kalamassery Medical College. Adding to the eerie nature of the scene, the bodies were reportedly found well dressed.
Suicide Note Reveals Family Tensions and Emotional Distress
Investigators recovered a suicide note from the house, which pointed to significant emotional distress and alleged blame faced by Aswathi following her husband's death. A senior police officer detailed the background, stating that Aswathi's husband had suffered from acute liver disease, reportedly due to a drinking problem, and died by suicide in August last year. Prior to his death, the couple had become estranged, and after Aswathi left for her house, attempts by the husband's family and locals to mediate for reconciliation failed. The suicide note indicated that the husband's family had begun to blame Aswathi for his suicide, contributing to her distress.
Will Prepared Months Before the Tragic Incident
In a disturbing revelation, police disclosed that Aswathi had prepared a will approximately one month after her husband's death. According to the will, the family's assets were to be transferred to an entity named 'Providence Home', which authorities are now actively trying to trace. The officer noted, "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."
Family Background and Recent Move to Kochi
The family, originally from Vilappilsala in Thiruvananthapuram, had relocated to Kochi only about two months prior to the incident. Police revealed that the elder son was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city for unspecified health issues. Medicines were found at the rented house, and investigators are working to collect his medical history to understand the full context.
Alarming Silence Before Vacating the House
The house had been rented on a temporary basis, with the family scheduled to vacate on Friday. When they could not be reached, the owner's relative checked the property. "The owner's relative used a spare key to open the house and found the bodies. The family was last seen on March 17, and the death is estimated to have occurred some time after that," the officer added, highlighting the timeline of events.
Ongoing Investigation and Probe Details
Ernakulam North Police have registered a case and launched a detailed investigation into the circumstances leading to the deaths. Officials are examining the suicide note, medical records, and other evidence to piece together the sequence of events in what appears to be a deeply distressing family tragedy. The probe aims to uncover all factors contributing to this heartbreaking incident, ensuring a thorough understanding of the events that unfolded.
