Boy, 8, Faces Mother's Death and Autopsy Solo

In Etah, an eight-year-old boy found himself navigating the difficult process of his mother's postmortem examination unaccompanied. Neelam, 40, who was being treated for HIV-related complications, passed away at Virangana Avantibai Medical College. Her young son, Shani, was the only person with her at the time of her death and was subsequently left to handle the initial legal procedures at the morgue.

Police were alerted and arrived to find the child distressed and unable to reach any relatives. Shani informed officials that he had no contact information for his family and expressed fears of a land dispute with his uncles. The boy's mother had been receiving treatment in Farrukhabad and returned to her native village shortly before her condition worsened and she was admitted to the Etah medical college.

Authorities confirmed that Neelam's husband had also died eight months prior due to HIV infection, and Neelam was also HIV-positive. The Chief Medical Officer noted that the children's HIV status would depend on their mother's condition during childbirth. The police facilitated the final rites, ensuring they were performed with family members, villagers, and personnel present, and assured the child's safety.