A Louisiana doctor, Sukanthini Subbiah, has been arrested by the Orlando Police Department in Florida and charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter as she was present when seven-year-old Khushil Bandi drowned. The incident took place on April 10 but the arrest was made on Wednesday. The 48-year-old Indian-origin doctor is being held without bond in the Orange County Jail and she faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.Subbiah was visiting her mother in Orlando with her own seven-year-old son identified as DJ by the police. DJ became friends with Khushil and his twin sister who lived in the neighborhood. Khushil and his twin sister were supposed to be under Subbaiah and her mother’s watch one evening and they went to a pool. Immediately, the three children jumped into the pool. Subbaiah told the police that she noticed that Khushil had been underwater for 45 seconds or so. She asked the other two to look for him but they said the water was too deep. Subbaiah sought help from another man who jumped into the water and pulled out Khushil, who was unconscious at the time.Subbiah said she did not waste any time but surveillance footage revealed that she did not do anything for a long time.
Seven minutes and two seconds
Surveillance footage revealed that they arrived at the pool at 6.19 pm. At 6.20 pm, Khushil could be seen playing in the pool and Subbiah was not seen in the footage. Seven seconds later, Subbiah was seen in the footage. About a minute later, Khushil sank to the bottom of the pool. After another minute and half, Subbiah went to the edge of the water and was seen “standing and staring at the center of the pool”. For another minute, she did not do anything and then asked his son what happened to Khushil.Three minutes later, Subbiah got into the water but stopped at knee height.Then she approached another man for help. The man jumped and brought Khushil in 50 seconds. The total time between the boy being completely submerged and being removed from the water was seven minutes and two seconds, police said.
7 days later, Khushil was dead
Khushil was rushed to a hospital in a critical condition. After three days, he had no brain activity and he had swelling in his brain and was suffering from seizures. He was taken off life support on April 17 and pronounced dead. An autopsy report concluded that his cause of death was ruled as complications of drowning.When police interviewed Subbiah, she allegedly said that she ‘froze’ and thought she was ‘going to pass out’ after noticing Khushil had been submerged for an extended period. She also allegedly said she believed she was not strong enough to pull the seven-year-old from the water, which is why she asked for help.Investigators concluded that Subbiah had the opportunity to alter the outcome.
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