12-year-old girl dies as father denies money for her treatment

A 12-year-old girl died of cancer on Sunday in Vijayawada as her estranged father did not allow her to sell the apartment which was in her name to pay for treatment. The girl, Sai Sri, even sent a video urging her father to allow the sale of the flat. Her father,  who is in Bengaluru, maintained his control over the flat through local legislator Bonda Umamaheswar Rao’s henchmen.

Mademsetti Siva Kumar, a rowdy sheeter, abandoned Sai Sri and her mother Suma four years ago. Before they separated, the couple bought an apartment in Durgapuram area. Kumar registered the apartment in Sai Sri’s name. After the couple separated, the mother and daughter continued to live in the flat.

However, trouble started after Sai Sri was diagnosed with blood cancer and was shuttling between Hyderabad and Vijayawada for treatment. To raise the money, they sought Kumar’s help to sell the flat as he is the legal guardian of the minor girl.

But Kumar sent the goons to occupy the apartment. “The goons who said that they were sent by the local ruling party MLA occupied the flat and drove us out,” Suma said. The mother and daughter continued to stay in the corridor of their apartment complex with the help of neighbours who gave them food.

Finally, Sai Sri sent a video to Kumar pleading him to provide for treatment as her mother had no money left. “Daddy please talk to me on WhatsApp, these bloody patches on my arms are not fake. I am really in pain. My hands and legs are swollen daddy. I want to become normal,” she appealed to her father.