Neglect or Abuse? Divorced Parents Clash Over 6-Year-Old’s Death

A family tragedy in Plaine-Magnien has escalated into a legal battle after the death of a six-year-old boy triggered a wave of mutual accusations and police complaints between his parents. The child died in early September, officially from a cerebral infection, but his parents now blame each other for his death and the subsequent events.

The child was admitted to Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital’s intensive care unit on 1st September, feverish and suffering from convulsions, and passed away two days later. However, the conflict only intensified after the funeral.

The boy’s father filed a complaint for kidnapping at the L’Escalier police station on 12th September.

He claimed that four men, including a police officer, forced him into a white car, assaulted him, and that he only escaped after they arrived in Plaine-Magnien.

The father alleged that this incident happened after his wife’s relatives demanded a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) from him, which he believed contained footage of his wife hitting their son before his final seizure.

The father was later arrested after his wife filed a domestic violence complaint against him. He was released on bail after appearing at the Bail and Remand Court.

Four people have since been charged in connection with the alleged kidnapping and were released on bail. The father is now demanding a full investigation into his son’s death.

Conflicting Accounts and Domestic Violence Allegations

The mother, meanwhile, denied any wrongdoing, claiming she was preparing her son for school when he froze.

She stated that she “gave him two small slaps to get a reaction” and that her daughter, distressed, asked, “Mum, why are you hitting him?”

The mother said she immediately called her husband and rushed the child to the hospital.

She claimed her husband is responsible for the boy’s death, alleging he may have passed a virus to the child after returning unvaccinated from a three-month trip to Thailand.

The mother stated she refused an autopsy for religious reasons. She also accused her husband of repeated domestic abuse, claiming that a miscarriage she had was due to his violence.

CCTV and Further Allegations

The mother’s brother, present on 12th September, denied any kidnapping or violence. He claimed they were looking for the father after he threatened to harm himself, and that they never assaulted him.

The mother insisted there were no signs of abuse on the child, stating that if there were, doctors and police would have found them during scans and blood tests. She maintained that her son died from a virus.

Both parties claim to have supporting evidence, with the father’s relatives allegedly holding CCTV footage of an altercation and the mother saying she is living under constant threat from her husband’s family.

“My children and I have been beaten for ten years,” she said. “My life is now in danger. I have just lost a child in eight days. It is not easy for me.” She is now seeking protection from the court.

Source: Defi Media