Parents poison 4-day-old baby girl

Nov 28, 2013,

GONDIA: A farmer couple from Tirkhedi village of Salekasa tehsil in Gondia district was arrested for poisoning their four-day-old daughter to death. The incident happened on Monday, but came to light only on late Tuesday evening. The accused Laxmi and Surendra Patle killed their newborn as she was the third successive girl child born to them. Reports said that Laxmi delivered a baby girl late last week. The couple nursed an ambition to have a son, but was distraught after the birth of their third girl child. After bringing the baby home, the couple decided to do away with her. In a sheer heartless manner they gave her poison four days after Laxmi delivered the girl child. But immediately after being given poison, the baby started tossing about. Laxmi could not bear the trauma of her wailing child. The couple decided to take the baby girl to the hospital. Dr Mahendra Dhagare at the rural hospital at Salekasa diagnosed it to be a case of food poisoning. They pleaded with the doctor to save her. The couple had brought the girl about 45-50 minutes after been poison, Dr Dhagare told TOI. “The baby was frothing from the mouth and her eyes looked dilated,” he said. This triggered a doubt in his mind as to how did a newborn suffer from food poisoning when the breastfed baby was not given any other feed. The fact that the baby had a peculiar smell like that of some poisonous substance only strengthened his doubt. So Dr Dhagare took the couple into confidence and was told the shocking story. Laxmi admitted to giving poison to their baby girl. But when they could not see their child in pain and trauma. Despite efforts, the baby girl died.