Suicide and murder: Mother, two daughters succumb to poisoned milk

The third daughter’s condition is said to be precarious

FAISALABAD: Two children, who had been fed poison, and their mother, who had served it, died at the district headquarters hospital on Thursday. Doctors say the condition of a third child is precarious.

Khurarianwala police spokesperson said 30-year-old Ayesha Bibi, a resident of Chak 229-RB in Makkoana, had swallowed poison on Wednesday and fed it to her three daughters – an eight-month-old baby, a six-year-old and a 12-year-old – after having a spat with her husband Muhammad Abbas. They soon fainted and the family informed Rescue-1122. They took the woman and children the DHQ hospital where doctors pumped their stomachs, however, the mother, the eight-month-old baby and the six-year-old died. Doctors treating the 12-year-old said her condition was critical.

Police said they had registered a complaint and were investigating.

Amjad Ali, a close relative of Ayesha Bibi, told The Express Tribune that Abbas had not been giving her maintenance allowance.

He said they were financially constrained and Ayesha Bibi and Abbas would often argue because of money. “She had been very depressed because of the situation. On Wednesday, they had had an altercation again after which Ayesha Bibi swallowed poison and then mixed it in milk and served it to her three daughters,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2015.