Death of two-year-old boy 'could have been caused by food poisoning'

DUBAI // The parents of a toddler who died last Saturday were in Kerala at the weekend for his funeral.

Kevin Jinesh Mavara, 2, fell ill a few hours after eating a home-cooked meal of chicken and rice. He died two days later.

Family members say Kevin's parents flew from Sharjah to Calicut on Thursday.

The funeral was held in Wayanad district in Kerala.

"A forensic report released by Sharjah Police said the boy died due to cardiac respiratory arrest," said Jijo K George, Kevin's uncle. "It could have been caused by food poisoning or food particles getting stuck in the respiratory system.

Kevin, an only child, and his father, Jinesh Abraham Mavara, 31, were taken to Central Private Hospital in Sharjah with food poisoning symptoms but were later discharged. Kevin's parents took him back to the hospital at 7am last Saturday after his condition deteriorated. He died at about 8.45am.

"We're in shock," Mr George said. "We're still not able to understand how this could have happened."

frahman@thenational.ae

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