Body of missing seven-year-old recovered from Piravom river, all four members of family found dead

The recovery of the body of a seven-year-old girl from the Piravom river on Sunday has brought a tragic Kerala family mystery to a close, with all four members of the family now found dead in what police suspect was a suicide.

The girl's body was recovered during a renewed search operation by police and Fire and Rescue Services personnel after extensive efforts on Saturday failed to locate her. She was the last missing member of the family.

The bodies of her mother, Viji, a visually impaired woman, and her two-year-old brother were recovered from the river on Friday evening.

Her father, Narayanan, was found dead in the same river on Saturday after police launched a search based on information gathered during the investigation.

The family, originally from Palakkad, had been living in a rented house in Kothamangalam and was reportedly battling severe financial hardship.

According to police, Narayanan and his family had recently approached the Kothamangalam police seeking help after they were unable to pay their house rent.

Police had arranged alternative accommodation for the family, and they were scheduled to move into the new house on Sunday, the very day the body of the seven-year-old was recovered.

Investigators have also collected CCTV footage from a restaurant in Piravom that shows the family having a meal together on Thursday, believed to be one of their final public appearances before the tragedy unfolded.

Police have registered a case of unnatural death and recorded statements from relatives and others close to the family.

The postmortem examinations are expected to be completed on Sunday, after which the bodies will be handed over to their relatives.