'Tired' mother wraps baby's face in tape, strangles her to death

Police suspect post-partum depression.

A Kolkata woman was arrested after she confessed to strangling her two-month-old daughter and dumping her body in a dry manhole.
According to Times of India, Sandhya Maloo, 35, initially told her family and police that an unidentified man had kidnapped her baby, 2-month-old Saranya. The mother of two then confessed to her crimes after police questioned her.
After making sure her maid and her family members were out of the house, Sandhya allegedly wrapped Saranya's face in adhesive tape and then strangled her. She then dumped her daughter's body in a dry manhole on the ground floor of her building.
"She claimed she was tired of the baby and killed her," said Deputy Commissioner Ajoy Prasad.
Sandhya's husband found her hysterical and barely conscious when he returned, raising the alarm when he found their baby missing.
Sandhya claimed that she was alone in their apartment when an unidentified man who asked for the keys to the terrace pushed her and she fell unconscious.
She confessed after police found no evidence of a disturbance on CCTV footage and probed her inconsistent statements further.
Further investigations are ongoing to determine whether the mother's apathy was caused by post-partum depression, or if she had some other motive.
She is likely to be sent for a psychiatric evaluation soon, and her social media is being scanned.
 

• India