Louisiana Doctor Charged After Boy Drowns in Florida Pool

LOUISIANA - A Louisiana doctor is facing a serious criminal charge following the tragic drowning death of a 7-year-old boy at a Florida neighborhood swimming pool. Investigators say that the doctor waited several minutes, observing the child drowning, before taking action as the child struggled in the pool.

Authorities say surveillance video tells a different story from the original version of what was alleged to have happened that afternoon. The physician's attorney, meanwhile, says she intends to fight the charge.

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Louisiana Doctor Faces Charge In Florida Child's Drowning

According to reporting from WFTV in Orlando, Sukanthini Subbiah, a physician who lives in Jefferson, Louisiana, was arrested in connection with the death of 7-year-old boy Khushil Bandi.

Subbiah is charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child. The charge is from an incident on April 10 at the Everbe Clubhouse swimming pool in Orlando, Florida, but she was just recently arrested on the charge.

Investigators say Subbiah was responsible for supervising Khushil and two other children at the pool. The other children included her own son and Khushil's twin sister.

According to police, the children's mother had given Subbiah permission to take the twins to the pool for a play date.

Sukanthini Subbiah — Orange County Police Department

What Investigators Say Happened At The Swimming Pool

According to the arrest report, the children entered the pool at approximately 6:19 p.m. Investigators say Khushil began struggling in the water shortly afterward and went beneath the surface at around 6:21 p.m.

Police allege that Subbiah did not immediately attempt to rescue the boy. Instead, investigators say she remained near the pool and later directed the other two children, both 7 years old, to try and get him out of the pool.

The arrest report indicates that Subbiah entered the water at approximately 6:26 p.m., but stopped when the water reached her knees.

According to westernjournal.com "The affidavit said it was at that point Subbiah asked the children to bring the victim to the surface, but they could not. She then asked a man sitting by the pool for help."

Once the man got the boy out of the pool, Subbiah performed CPR and called 911 according to westernjournal.com.

The report claims that the boy had been underwater for roughly 7 minutes at that point.

What The Doctor's Attorney Says About The Case

Subbiah's attorney, Rajan Joshi, is disputing the allegation that his client committed a crime. He also said she has cooperated with investigators and voluntarily turned herself in.

The defense has challenged the idea that the incident should result in criminal liability, while police say that the video evidence supports the charge of aggravated manslaughter of a child.

Subbiah is presumed innocent until proven guilty.