Mother Stabbed 5-Year-Old Daughter To Death Over Covid Fears

An Indian mother in the United Kingdom stabbed and killed her five-year-old daughter after worrying the ‘little girl’ couldn't live without her if she died of coronavirus.

36-year-old Sutha Sivanantham stabbed her daughter, Sayagi Sivanantham, 15 times before turning the knife on herself at their south London apartment on June 30 last year.

The accused appeared at the Old Bailey on Thursday, June 24, and pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

According to her husband, Sugantham Sivanantham, Sutha was "petrified" of getting infected by the coronavirus. He said the lockdown restrictions may have pushed her over the edge.

"I believe Covid restrictions may have had a negative effect on her wellbeing," he told the court, the Mirror reported.

"She took the restrictions seriously and was petrified about catching the virus."

Sugathan, a Sainsbury worker, was at the supermarket when he received a phone call saying his wife had killed their daughter.

"The defendant had developed a morbid concern she was suffering from undiagnosed serious illness," said prosecutor Bill Emlyn-Jones.

"She appears to have become convinced that she was going to die."

According to medical records, Sutha had been infected with Covid 19 at some point.

"The night before the incident, she had specifically asked her husband if he would take care of the children in the event of her death," the prosecutor said.

"On the morning of 30th June 2020, she asked her husband not to go to work, but he explained that he had to go, leaving the defendant at home."

She reportedly called up her friends complaining about her health, but they thought she was normal.

That evening neighbors were called to their residence in Monarch Parade, Mitcham, where they found the mother and daughter lying in a pool of blood.

"They found the defendant on the floor, with a serious stab wound to her abdomen," Emlyn-Jones said.

"Sayagi, who was lying on the bed, had been stabbed several times in the neck, chest and abdomen."

"A knife was seen embedded in Sayagi's shoulder, which fell out when she was moved to be treated on the instructions of the 999 operator."

An air ambulance transported the mother and daughter to a nearby hospital where the child was pronounced dead.

"The defendant told the doctor she had been worried what would happen to her child if anything happened to her and thought her daughter would not be able to live without her," the prosecutor said.

"She also said that on the day of the murder she had felt as if she was asleep and dreaming; she had known she was hurting herself 'but I didn't realise I was hurting her'," the prosecutor added.

Sutha remained in hospital for several months before being discharged into police custody.

"Her behaviour and decision-making were strongly influenced by the content of her psychotic belief," Dr Nigel Blackwood told the court.

Following her trial on Thursday, Sutha was sent to be treated in hospital under sections 37 and 41 of the Mental Health Act.