Father cuts throats of one and three-year-old children

Today, an inquest at Walthamstow Coroner's Court led by area coroner Graeme Irvine heard the details of the gruesome incident that took place on 26 April. A baby girl was found dead in their east London home. Her brother was also fatally wounded and their father also had stab wounds. An investigation revealed that the children's father committed the murders before trying to kill himself.

Metropolitan Police responded to an emergency call at Aldborough Road North, Ilford and reached the home at around 5:30 pm on Sunday. Inside the home, the police found two injured children and an injured adult. 19-month-old Pavinya Nithiyakumar was unresponsive and paramedics were unable to revive her. The baby was declared dead at the scene of the crime at 5:53 pm.

Pavinya's three-year-old brother, Nigish Nithyakumar, was also stabbed but was responsive. He was rushed by London Ambulance Service to Royal London Hospital. Their father, Nithin Kumar, was also taken to the hospital as he had been stabbed as well. At the hospital, Nigish was also pronounced dead at 7:42 pm on the day of the attack. Police stated that Nithin was under police custody at the hospital.

Post mortem examinations of both the children's bodies took place at Great Ormond Street Hospital. It was confirmed that the children died due to the incised wounds to their necks, the Evening Standard reported. The children's mother was in the home when the incident took place. Neighbours recalled hearing her scream after she discovered Nigish struggling to breathe with his throat sliced open. During the course of the investigation, the mourning mother had to identify the bodies of her children after they were removed from the scene.

The criminal investigation remains ongoing. The reason behind the fatal attack on the children by their father had not been revealed yet. Nithin continues to be questioned by the police.

After the hearing today, Irvine acknowledged the necessity of an inquest into the deaths of the two children. The inquest being formally opened, a review date has been set for November 30.