Police charge Louisiana doctor after boy drowns in Orlando pool
A 48-year-old Louisiana doctor has been arrested and charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter after a seven-year-old boy drowned in a swimming pool in Orlando, Florida on April 10. Sukanthini Subbiah claimed she noticed the child underwater for only 45 seconds and requested help within two minutes, but surveillance footage and witness interviews told a drastically different story that prompted the criminal investigation.
Police say footage showed that after the boy, Khushil Bandi, began struggling in the pool at 6.20pm, Subbiah made a "shushing motion" and appeared not to notice him despite his vigorous splashing. She then stood staring at the centre of the pool for approximately a minute without taking action, and only waded into the water to knee height after roughly three and a half minutes. The total time Khushil was underwater before anyone retrieved him was seven minutes and two seconds, with Subbiah taking over five minutes to seek help. The boy was taken off life support on April 17 with no brain activity.
- Doctor accused of watching child drown for over five minutes without helping.
- Surveillance footage contradicts her account of the incident.
- Child died from prolonged submersion while under her supervision.
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A seven-year-old boy drowned in a swimming pool in Orlando, Florida on 10 April. Khushil Bandi was at the pool with other people, including a doctor named Sukanthini Subbiah. The child was taken to hospital but died a week later after being removed from life support.
Subbiah told authorities that she had noticed the boy in the water for just 45 seconds and that she had sought help within two minutes. However, surveillance footage and accounts from other people present that day showed the events differently. The footage indicated that over seven minutes passed from when the boy started struggling until he was removed from the water, and that Subbiah, who was present at the poolside, did not appear to take action during much of that time.
The discrepancy between Subbiah's account and the evidence from video and witnesses led police to investigate further and pursue criminal charges. Such cases raise broader questions about what responsibilities adults have when they witness a child in danger, and what response is considered appropriate in an emergency.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Female doctor stood and watched as boy, 7, drowned in swimming pool, police claim”.