Forensic post-mortem concluded that all three died as a result of asphyxiation. (representative)
London:
A suspect charged with the triple murder of an Indian nurse and her two children pleaded guilty to the murders at a hearing in eastern England on Wednesday and was remanded in custody until sentencing in July.
Saju Chelavalel, 52, appeared at Northampton Crown Court where he admitted killing wife Anju Asok, 35, and children Jeeva Saju, 6, and Janvi Saju, 4.
All three victims were found last December when emergency services were called to their home in Kettering to report they had been seriously injured. Forensic post-mortem examination, which took place at Leicester Royal Infirmary after their deaths, concluded that all three died of asphyxiation.
“This was an absolutely tragic case and there are no words to describe the devastation Saju Chelavalel caused when he chose to end the lives of Anju, Jeeva and Janvi,” said Detective Simon Barnes, Senior Investigating Officer of the Northamptonshire police.
“I’m glad he pleaded guilty and spared Anju’s family and friends the pain of a lawsuit. He will have to live forever with what he did and I hope one day he really understands the pain his actions caused” , he said. said.
The officer said Anju Asok will be remembered as “so much more” than his victim, as he described her as a devoted nurse, loving mother and faithful friend.
“My thoughts remain with her loved ones and will continue to do so well into the future,” he said, expressing his gratitude to all the officers involved in the case.
“This was a case that affected many people and it was through sheer dedication and professionalism that Chelavalel was brought to justice so quickly,” he noted.
Chelavalel pleaded guilty to three counts of murder in Northampton Crown Court and will be sentenced by the same court on July 3. The judge has indicated that he will receive a life sentence, with the minimum term before parole set by the sentencing judge. .
Anju Asok, originally from Viakom in the Kottayam district of Kerala, has been working at the local hospital in Kettering since 2021. She worked as a nurse in the orthopedic ward at Kettering General Hospital, which has since paid tribute to her as a “dedicated and compassionate” nurse.
Local police also shared information about a memorial ceremony held last month in memory of the family at Kettering Park Infant Academy, where Jeeva and Janvi were enrolled.
The children in their respective classes were given a balloon – pink, blue or silver – to represent Janvi, Jeeva and Anju. The children then gathered outside and were joined by the rest of the school as the song ‘Somewhere over the rainbow’ played and the balloons were released. A poem was read and a minute’s silence was held, after which the schoolchildren walked back into the school past two new memorial benches.
“It was an honor to be invited to this ceremony and to celebrate with the children Anju and their two classmates – Jeeva and Janvi. We were privileged to see their classrooms and spend some time with their teachers,” said Detective Barnes.
“We were handed a beautiful memory book, full of photos and messages from the children’s classmates and all the staff. This is now with the family in India. Although my team and I have a professional job, we are not immune to the personal impact such tragedies cause. The school was proud of the family in what was a very touching tribute. All three were much loved and will be missed by all,” he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is being published from a syndicated feed.)
