Investigation Launched: 3-Member Committee Probes 18-Month-Old Baby's Death at Andhra Pradesh Child Care Facility

A 3-member committee has been established to investigate the death of an 18-month-old infant who was under care at a Shishu Gruha (Child Care Center) operated by the Women and Child Welfare Department of Andhra Pradesh.

The YSRCP opposition party has raised serious allegations that staff negligence contributed to the baby's tragic death. Adding to the controversy, there are claims that the infant's funeral proceedings were conducted hastily without proper notification to senior district administrators.

The infant, who reportedly had health complications since birth and was underweight, was placed in the Shishu Gruha on September 30. The child's mother from Kalyandurg had relinquished him to the facility due to financial constraints.

M Nagamani, ICDS Project Director, reported that the baby developed diarrhea on October 2 (Dussehra) and subsequently passed away.

The situation gained broader attention when it was discovered that facility officials had merely informed the District Collector and ICDS Project Officer about the death via WhatsApp messages before proceeding with burial the next morning.

This procedural violation, particularly the absence of formal notification to top officials, prompted Anantapur District Collector O Anand to immediately launch an investigation. The Collector has demanded a detailed report covering both the death's cause and the events that followed.

Internal tensions have emerged within the Shishu Gruha staff, with reports of blame attribution among personnel. Official memos have been issued to staff regarding the incident.

According to officials, the Shishu Gruha staff had taken the baby to the Government General Hospital (GGH) two days before his death, but hospital doctors reportedly declared the child's condition stable and sent him back to the facility.

District Collector O Anand stated that the investigation committee includes Dr. EB Devi (DMHO), Nagamani (ICDS PD), and the Head of Pediatrics Department from GGH. Officials are working to determine whether the death could have been prevented and if negligence played a role in either the outcome or the handling of the child's remains.