Test results awaited in death of toddler who swallowed coin

The police and the health authorities are now waiting for the results of the chemical examination to know the actual cause of the death of a three-year-old boy who died in the wee hours of Sunday after he was found to have swallowed a coin.

On Monday, the post mortem was conducted and it was found that there were two coins and not one as was reported earlier, soon after the boy was brought to the Aluva government hospital near here at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

The body has now been handed over to the kin, while the internal organs have been kept for chemical examination to find out if the death was due to other reasons.

An X-ray taken at the hospital revealed that there was a coin in his stomach. Following which the doctors advised the boy to be taken to the Ernakulam general hospital.

According to the relatives, the doctors at the general hospital referred the boy to the state-run Alappuzha Medical College hospital, as there was no paediatric surgeon.

The boy was then transported in an ambulance to the Medical College located about 70 km from Kochi.

The doctors advised the family to give bananas and milk to the boy and said the coin will come out through the digestive track. He was then sent back home.

The boy reached home around Sunday midnight. After some time he developed problems and was rushed to the Aluva government hospital, where he breathed his last.

The relatives are up in arms and have accused the hospitals of negligence. Following this State Health Minister K.K. Shailaja has ordered a probe into the matter.

The police has now taken up the case and are waiting for the report of the chemical examination for further action.

"We want a through probe into what has happened and will not rest until justice is delivered," said a relative.

The boy's parents are living separately, with his father working in Karnataka and his mother staying with her relatives here.