Indian-origin parents arrested in US toddler death case

Indian-origin parents of a 19-month-old baby, who died of severe head injuries after his babysitter got angry and dumped him on the floor, have been arrested and charged in the US state of Connecticut.

Kinjal Patel, 27, the Indian-origin babysitter, has already been charged in the case with manslaughter in the first degree and is being held on a USD 1 million bond.

She allegedly told police that she became angry with the child and forced him to the floor, where he hit his head. The incident occurred at her home in New Haven on January 16.

The baby's mother, Thenmozhi Rajendran, 24, and his father, 33, Mani Sivakumar, both of 77, have been charged with risk of injury to a child and interfering with police.

They turned themselves in at police headquarters, The Hartford Courant newspaper reported yesterday.

Police responded to a "risk of injury" complaint at Yale–New Haven Hospital Paediatric Emergency Department and found the boy's skull was "severely fractured".

As the boy, Athiyan Sivakumar, was rushed to surgery, doctors told police his injuries were life-threatening.

The boy died on Sunday from his injuries. The Office of the State's Chief Medical Examiner determined his death was "homicide caused by blunt force".

On Wednesday, detectives interviewed Patel, who said she called the child's father to tell him his boy was injured.

The toddler after the injury began to cry and convulse.

The father returned home and brought the baby to the hospital, police said adding that they were also called to the hospital where doctors told them that the boy's injuries were life-threatening.

The family's home was immediately secured as a potential crime scene, police said.