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A doctor allegedly failed to intervene as a child she was looking after drowned at a Florida community pool, according to authorities.
Sukanthini Subbiah, 48, of Louisiana, was charged with aggravated manslaughter this week following an extensive investigation into the April 10 death of Khushil Bandi, 7, at the Everbe Clubhouse pool in Orlando, according to court records.
Subbiah, a physician, was staying in the Everbe neighborhood to visit family when she brought Khushil, his twin sister and her son to the pool for a play date, the court records said.
Surveillance footage revealed that the children entered the pool at 6:19 p.m., and within a minute, evidence showed Khushil had begun “splashing vigorously” and drowning, the arrest warrant affidavit said.
Subbiah allegedly watched as the child struggled in the water and sent the two other children to help him.
Khushil was drowning in the pool for a shocking seven minutes before he was pulled from the water.
The doctor eventually alerted another poolgoer, who jumped into the water to retrieve Khushil as the other two kids began “yelling and screaming,” the warrant said.
Subbiah tried to perform CPR on the young boy, but he succumbed to his injuries.
Though police initially believed the drowning to be accidental, after conducting interviews and reviewing the footage, officials concluded Subbiah’s “culpably negligent” conduct caused Khushil’s death.
“Subbiah was the sole adult responsible for the decedent, was present while the emergency unfolded, had the knowledge and opportunity to recognize the danger, and had the ability to intervene,” a detective wrote.
“Her failure to do so allowed the decedent’s submersion and oxygen deprivation to continue until another adult ultimately performed the rescue she had failed to undertake,” investigators said.
Subbiah was booked into Orange County Jail on Monday.
Her defense attorney, Rajan Joshi, told WFTV she plans on fighting the charges.
“Accidents do happen every day. We don’t see criminal liability in this case,” Joshi told the outlet.
“This is a person who’s dedicated her life to saving people’s lives, has a good heart, and never had any problems with the law,” said Joshi. “She plans on fighting these charges in court.”
