Inset: Sukanthini "Suki" Subbiah (Orange County Jail). Background: The pool in Orlando, Florida, where a 7-year-old boy in Subbiah's care drowned, cops say (WOFL).
A Louisiana doctor watched a 7-year-old in her care "actively drowning" in a Florida community pool for five minutes before she sought help, but by the time the boy was pulled from the water it was too late, cops say.
Sukanthini "Suki" Subbiah, 47, stands accused of aggravated manslaughter of a child in the death of Khushil Bandi, according to the Orlando Police Department.
The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. April 10 at a neighborhood pool in the 1100 block of Felicity Avenue. Khushil was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.
Subbiah and her 7-year-old son were visiting her mother, who lived near the pool, a probable cause arrest affidavit said. Her son became friendly with Khushil and his twin sister, who lived next door.
Subbiah told detectives that the twins' mother gave her permission to take the kids to the pool. She said while the girl was wearing a life vest, the victim was not, so she "assumed" he could swim.
She told investigators that the group, which included Subbiah's mother, arrived at the pool about 6:20 p.m. and the kids jumped in the deeper end of the pool. Subbiah claimed she saw Khushil underwater for about "45 seconds or so" and asked the other two kids to remove him from the pool, but they were unable to do so, the affidavit said.
Subbiah allegedly said she asked another adult at the pool to pull the boy out. She then began CPR and called 911, the affidavit said. Subbiah also told detectives that she didn't ask her mother to help because her mother couldn't swim.
But cops say their investigation revealed that Subbiah's version of events didn't reflect what actually happened.
Surveillance video showed Khushil swim toward the center of the pool before he "abruptly" turned in the opposite direction, the affidavit said.
"The decedent is now observed turning in circles and splashing vigorously," cops wrote.
Khushil began to drown at 6:20 p.m., authorities said.
Video showed Subbiah walking toward the side of the pool and placing a finger over her mouth in a "shushing" motion, apparently not noticing what was unfolding, per the affidavit.
At this point, Subbiah's son asked for his goggles and she went to retrieve them.
Cops say Khushil was "actively drowning" for over a minute before he went underwater at 6:21 p.m.
Meanwhile, Subbiah was allegedly "staring at the center of the pool" where the boy was submerged, according to police.
At 6:23 p.m., the kids began to realize something was wrong, asking "what happened" to the victim. Subbiah entered the pool at 6:26 p.m. but allegedly "stopped" in knee-high water. The victim had been underwater for five minutes before Subbiah acted, cops said.
Subbiah first asked the kids to retrieve Khushil, but when they couldn't, she asked a man who was sitting on the pool deck for help, the affidavit stated. He rescued the boy, who by then had been underwater for more than seven minutes and unconscious, according to cops.
The kids said it looked like Khushil had "gone to bed," the affidavit said.
Investigators noted that the boy was drowning as Subbiah was watching, yet she allegedly did nothing to help for five minutes. Detectives also spoke to the victim's twin sister, identified as K.B. in the complaint.
She said her brother was at the bottom of the pool and "went to RIP."
"K.B. did not want to say what 'RIP' was but noted that it was the 'd' word," investigators wrote.
Subbiah's son said the victim was "scuba diving" and "hunting for treasure" when he drowned, per the affidavit.
In another interview with police, Subbiah allegedly estimated that the victim was underwater for two minutes and admitted that it was "unrealistic" for a 7-year-old to hold his breath for that long. Subbiah said she "froze" in the moment, but cops said that is no excuse.
"Based on her profession and training, Subbiah understands the limited time a person can remain submerged under water without breathing and the potential dangers of such prolonged submersion," investigators wrote.
Subbiah had the opportunity to "alter the outcome" and save Khushil's life, cops said.
"Had Subbiah acted when she first observed the decedent submerged for an unreasonable period of time—by immediately entering the approximately five-foot-deep water and removing him rather than directing two seven-year-old children to do so—the decedent would have been removed from the water substantially earlier," cops concluded. "Instead, critical minutes passed while the decedent remained submerged and deprived of oxygen."
Cops arrested Subbiah and took her to the Orange County Jail on a $100,000 bond. She has pleaded not guilty. Her next court date was not immediately available.
Subbiah's mother was not charged.