LONDON CHILD KILLER NADARAJAH NITHIYAKUMAR SENT TO INDEFINITE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL
In a tragic and devastating incident that shocked the London community, Nadarajah Nithiyakumar, a 41-year-old man, was found responsible for the brutal slayings of his two young children, Pavinya and Nigish, during a horrifying event that unfolded in their modest flat in Ilford.The tragedy occurred on the afternoon of 26 April 2020, amidst the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, when Nithiyakumar carried out a violent attack that would leave a lasting scar on all involved.
According to court reports, Nithiyakumar, who was employed at CVS Superstore in Hainault, suddenly turned violent while his wife, Nisanthini, was in the bathroom.
Without warning, he took two kitchen knives and proceeded to attack his children as they lay in their bed.
The youngest, Pavinya, aged just 18 months, and her three-year-old brother Nigish, suffered fatal injuries from deep cuts to their necks.
Their mother, upon entering the room and witnessing the horror, was overwhelmed with distress and immediately called emergency services, screaming, 'My husband cut my babies.' Emergency responders arrived swiftly at the scene at approximately 5:37 pm.
They found Pavinya already deceased, and her brother Nigish was rushed to the Royal London Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries two hours later.
The police found the children lying on the bed, each with severe neck wounds, and a large kitchen knife with a five to six-inch blade was recovered from the shower cubicle, indicating the brutal nature of the attack.
The scene was marked by a significant amount of blood, underscoring the violence inflicted.
During the attack, Nithiyakumar also inflicted self-harm, stabbing himself in the neck and chest with a third knife.
He was subsequently placed into an induced coma following surgery to treat his injuries.
When he regained consciousness, he was detained by police at the hospital under suspicion of murder.
Remarkably, he inquired about the well-being of his wife and children, displaying a disturbing awareness of his actions.
Later, he provided police with a detailed account of how he murdered his children, believing that they would suffer without him and that their behavior would deteriorate if left without a father.
Throughout the proceedings, Nithiyakumar appeared in court wearing a dark blue hoodie and a surgical mask, remaining emotionless.
He had previously admitted to two counts of manslaughter by diminished responsibility, a plea accepted by the prosecution as a lesser charge than murder.
The court was informed that Nithiyakumar had a history of mental health issues, having been known to mental health services since 2010, when he was prescribed antipsychotic medication.
Despite this, his contact with mental health professionals had been sporadic.
Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC outlined that Nithiyakumar’s actions were driven by a delusional disorder, which had been exacerbated by his belief that he was being followed by Scotland Yard and that others were gossiping about him.
These paranoid delusions had been present for over a decade, with the father describing himself as 'frustrated rather than angry' during the period leading up to the tragedy.
His employer at CVS described him as a calm and quiet individual, with no apparent issues in the hours before the incident.
However, the court heard that Nithiyakumar had previously expressed concerns about being followed and believed that colleagues or others were gossiping about him, especially after a prolonged absence in India.
Witnesses recounted that at around 5:39 pm, Mr.
Sivasthusanem, the owner of a shop next door, heard screams emanating from the flat.
Upon investigation, he found Nisanthini, the mother, in a state of hysteria, with her husband standing nearby holding a bloodied knife and claiming, 'I’ve cut off the children.' He also stated, 'There’s a problem in my workplace.
I’m going to die.
Police are looking for me.
If they get the children they will spoil them, that’s why I did this to the children.' Police arrived shortly after, finding the children with severe injuries.
Pavinya was declared dead at the scene, while Nigish was transported to Royal London Hospital, where he died at approximately 7:42 pm.
The post-mortem examinations confirmed that Pavinya’s injuries penetrated her trachea and left jugular vein, while Nigish’s wounds cut through his pharynx and larynx, leading to their tragic deaths.
In his police interview, Nithiyakumar explained that he was overwhelmed by depression and stress, which he claimed had been worsened by interactions with customers at his workplace.
He admitted that he had contemplated suicide and, in a tragic culmination of his mental state, decided to kill his children to prevent them from suffering or becoming 'naughty.' He described how he believed that the children would be better off without him, and that their future would be bleak if he were not there to guide them.
Psychiatrists at the John Howard Centre diagnosed Nithiyakumar with 'very chronic delusions of persecution.' His defense team, led by Steven Perian QC, emphasized the profound impact of the tragedy on the family, highlighting his mental health struggles.
The court was told that Nithiyakumar had been receiving treatment but that his condition remained severe.
In delivering her judgment, Mrs Justice Cutts emphasized that the defendant’s dangerousness was rooted in his mental illness.
She stated that a prison sentence would be inappropriate given his condition but warned that if his mental health were to go untreated, the risk of harm to others could be significant if he found himself in a similar situation again.
The judge acknowledged that the extent of his recovery was uncertain but noted that progress had been slow.
Ultimately, Nithiyakumar was convicted of two counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
He was ordered to be detained indefinitely in a psychiatric hospital, where he will remain until medical professionals determine it is safe for him to be released.
The case underscores the tragic consequences of untreated mental illness and the devastating impact it can have on families and communities in London.
