Baby dies from brutal injuries

Baby dies from brutal injuries

June 06, 2006

MISSION – A 5-month-old baby has died from brutal injuries police believe were inflicted by his mother.

Police say the boy’s mother claimed her child fell off the bed. When police examined the baby they found bite marks all over his body and severe head injuries not related to a fall.

Police arrested 33-year-old Smita Chakravarthy without an arrest warrant. The woman is from India. Police tell us they feared she would flee the country.

Police tell us Chakravarthy was in Mission visiting family. The woman’s husband found the baby unresponsive at the relative’s home. The child was on a ventilator for almost a week. After there were no signs of recovery, the family decided to pull the baby off life support.

Detectives say the mother is the only suspect. Mission Police Department spokesman Martin Garza said, “We have gone through a body search warrant of the suspect. Due to other injuries found on the child that appear to be bite marks that body search warrant was used to get dental prints from the suspect and that will be compared at a later date at a lab.”

Chakravarthy is out on bond. Police have asked the FBI for advice on how to make sure the woman will not leave the country.