Children who died in Kettering were strangled, inquest hears

Two children who died after being found seriously injured at a flat in Kettering were strangled, an inquest has heard.

Six-year-old Jeeva Saju and his four-year-old sister Janvi died with their mum Anju Asok, 35, on December 15.

Anju was pronounced dead at the scene in Petherton Court, while the children later died at KGH.

Saju Chelavalel, 52, has been charged with murdering his wife and children and is currently being held in custody.

This morning (Thursday) Northamptonshire’s senior coroner Anne Pember opened the inquests into the deaths of Anju, Jeeva and Janvi at The Guildhall in Northampton.

The brief hearing confirmed Anju’s cause of death as asphyxiation, pending further tests.

The cause of death for Jeeva and Janvi was confirmed as strangulation, also pending further tests.

Mrs Pember adjourned the inquests until July 6.

Anju was originally from Vaikom in the state of Kerala, India, and moved to the United Kingdom to take a job at Kettering General Hospital in 2021.

After her death hospital bosses paid tribute to the “committed and compassionate” nurse, who was loved and respected by her friends and colleagues.

Jeeva and Janvi were pupils at Kettering Park Infant Academy in Park Avenue and the school’s headteacher described them as “delightful and caring children who had many friends”.

The Kettering Malayalee Welfare Association, which supports more than 300 Malayalee families in the community, set up a fundraiser to help with repatriation costs for Anju’s family. It smashed its £25,000 target in just over 24 hours.