A doctor has been arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter after a seven-year-old boy died following a drowning at a swimming pool in Orlando, Florida. Sukanthini Subbiah, 48, was arrested around six months after the death of Khushil Bandi. Police allege the boy remained submerged for more than seven minutes while Subbiah was nearby and had an opportunity to intervene. She has been charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter of a child and is being held without bond in Orange County Jail. The allegations have not yet been proven in court.

Boy pulled unconscious from pool

The incident happened on April 10 while Subbiah was visiting her mother in Orlando. Police said she had taken her own seven-year-old son, Khushil and his twin sister to a neighbourhood swimming pool with the permission of the twins’ mother. Subbiah told investigators that she noticed Khushil underwater for around 45 seconds and initially asked the other children to get him. She said they told her the water was too deep, after which she asked another man at the pool for assistance. The man entered the water and pulled Khushil out unconscious. Subbiah told police she believed around two minutes had passed between her noticing the boy underwater and seeking help.

Police say CCTV gave a different timeline

Investigators allege surveillance footage showed a significantly longer period. According to police, Khushil was seen struggling in the centre of the pool before sinking below the surface. Officers said Subbiah later stood at the edge of the pool looking towards the water before eventually approaching another adult for assistance. Police allege Khushil had been fully submerged for around seven minutes and two seconds by the time he was removed from the water. Investigators said footage showed Subbiah entering the water at one stage but remaining in shallow water.

Boy died one week later

Khushil was taken to hospital in a critical condition. Police said doctors later found he had suffered severe brain injury associated with a lack of oxygen. He was taken off life support on April 17 and pronounced dead. An autopsy concluded that his death resulted from complications of drowning.

Police allege death could have been prevented

Investigators said Subbiah told them she had “frozen” after realising the boy had been submerged for an extended period and feared she might pass out. She also allegedly said she did not believe she was strong enough to lift him from the pool. Police concluded that Subbiah had an opportunity to intervene earlier and alleged that doing so could have changed the outcome. Investigators carried out a reconstruction of the incident, interviewed witnesses and reviewed surveillance footage before making the arrest. Subbiah faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.