Kerala SHOCKER: 12-year-old girl throws infant into well after fear of losing foster parents' love in Kannur

Kannur: In a deeply disturbing incident, a 12-year-old girl was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board on Tuesday night for allegedly murdering a four-month-old baby in Parakkal, Pappinisseri. The crime took place on Sunday night, when the girl, reportedly driven by fear of losing her foster parents' affection, threw the infant into a common well.

According to the police, the deceased was the daughter of migrant scrap collectors from Perambalur district in Tamil Nadu. The family lived in a modest rented tenement in Parakkal, sharing a compound, well, and toilet with other migrant workers.

The 12-year-old accused is the daughter of the baby’s paternal uncle, who had passed away a few months ago due to epilepsy. After his death, the girl’s mother abandoned her, leaving her orphaned in their native village in Tamil Nadu. With nowhere to go, she was brought to Kannur and had been living with the infant’s parents, her uncle and aunt, who took over her care.

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How was the infant killed and what triggered the accused girl to commit the crime?

On Sunday night, while the baby was asleep beside her parents, the girl allegedly took her out of the room under the pretext of going to the washroom. She then threw the infant into the common well located just 10 meters from their home. Following the act, she returned and pretended to be unaware of the baby’s disappearance, even alerting the parents about it.

A frantic search ensued, and around midnight, a neighbor discovered the infant’s body floating in the well. The parents, suspicious of the girl’s version of events—especially since their room was latched from the inside—alerted the police. During questioning, police officers noticed inconsistencies in the girl's statements. Valapattanam Station House Officer B Karthik confirmed that the child later confessed to the crime.

During interrogation, the girl revealed that she feared losing the affection and security provided by her uncle and aunt after the birth of their child. This insecurity allegedly led her to commit the crime.

Police investigations are ongoing, and further inquiries will be conducted to verify the girl’s statements and understand the complete circumstances surrounding the tragic incident. The child has been remanded to a juvenile care facility following her appearance before the Juvenile Justice Board.

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