10-year-old Chennai girl dies of accidental strangulation while playing on swing

CHENNAI: A heart-wrenching incident unfolded in Pozhichalur, near Pallavaram, as a 10-year-old girl lost her life after accidentally strangling herself while playing with a makeshift swing made from a dupatta (scarf).

The incident occurred in full view of her younger brother, leaving the family and local community in deep mourning on Saturday.

The victim, identified as Rosy, a fifth-grade student, was playing at her home with her seven-year-old brother, Joshua, while their mother, Kausalya (27), was at work. Kausalya, a single mother employed at a petrol bunk, had left the children unsupervised, as she had done routinely.

According to preliminary reports, Rosy tied a dupatta to an overhead wire in their house to create a swing. Tragically, her neck became entangled in the fabric during the playful act, causing her to suffocate.

Witnesses stated that Rosy initially gestured to Joshua for help, but the young boy mistook her distress for playfulness. Minutes later, Rosy collapsed, unconscious and unresponsive.

A terrified Joshua screamed for help, prompting neighbours to rush to the scene. They immediately alerted Kausalya and took Rosy to the Chromepet Government Hospital. However, doctors pronounced her dead on arrival, citing suffocation as the cause.

Kausalya, who had been separated from her husband, Lazer, four years ago, had been raising her two children alone under strained circumstances. Residents described the family as quiet and hardworking, with Rosy and Joshua attending a local school.

The Sankar Nagar police have registered a case and sent Rosy's body for post-mortem examination. Authorities are investigating whether negligence contributed to the incident, though preliminary findings suggest a tragic accident.

The incident has cast a pall over Pozhichalur, with neighbours expressing shock and sympathy for the family. “The children were always playing together. This is unimaginable,” said a resident.