Four Children Die of Suffocation After Getting Trapped in Unlocked Car

News Flash

19 May

Negligence Turns Fatal in Dwarapudi Village as Parked Car Becomes Death Trap; Shock and Mourning Grip Entire Village

Visakhapatnam: No matter how cautious one is in a home with children, sometimes even the smallest oversight can have devastating consequences. A tragic incident in Dwarapudi village, Vizianagaram rural mandal, has laid bare the catastrophic impact of such negligence, where four innocent children, including three girls, lost their lives after suffocating inside a parked car.

According to police sources and eyewitness accounts, an unlocked car parked near the Mahila Mandali office in the village became a death trap on Sunday. The car had reportedly been left unattended for two days by an unidentified person, and the children, while playing, entered the vehicle and accidentally locked themselves inside.

"The car was parked for two days. No one realized it was left unlocked. The children must have thought it was part of their play. But within hours, it turned into their grave," said a teary-eyed local resident.

The victims have been identified as:

• Mangi Uday (8)

• Burle Charumati (8)

• Burle Charishma (6) – Sister of Charumati

• Kandi Manaswini (6)

All the children belonged to the same village and had been missing for over three hours before their frantic families located them unconscious inside the car. Despite immediately breaking the windows and rushing them to the Government General Hospital (GGH), Vizianagaram, the children were declared brought dead. Medical reports confirmed death due to suffocation.

“They had already suffocated by the time we brought them in. It was too late,” said a doctor from GGH, Vijayanagaram.

The atmosphere in Dwarapudi village has turned hauntingly silent, with the air heavy with grief and disbelief. Parents, relatives, and villagers remain stunned at the scale of the tragedy. The Vizianagaram Rural Police has launched an investigation to identify the owner of the car, who remains absconding at the time of reporting.

“We have begun tracing the vehicle’s owner. Leaving an unattended and unlocked car in a public area shows gross negligence. Action will be taken as per the law,” said a police officer at the scene.

Meanwhile, local MLA Aditi Vijayalakshmi rushed to the hospital to meet the grieving families. Offering condolences, she assured them of full support.

“This is not just a personal loss to four families. It is a wound to the heart of the village. I will raise this issue in the Assembly and ensure that the government extends all possible assistance,” she said, visibly shaken.

The bodies have been sent for postmortem, and the final rites are expected to take place after the report is submitted to authorities. The villagers are demanding strict action and awareness campaigns about public safety and unattended vehicles.

This Is Not Just Negligence—It’s Criminal Carelessness

This harrowing incident is a reminder that every unattended object in a child’s environment can become a potential hazard. Leaving an unlocked vehicle in a residential area, especially one where children frequently play, is not just thoughtless—it’s criminal.

As authorities continue the probe, villagers demand justice—not just for the four lives lost, but to ensure such a tragedy never repeats in any corner of the country.