Etah Shocker: Minor Boy Takes His Mother's Body Alone for Autopsy After She Dies During Tuberculosis and HIV Treatment, Heartbreaking Pic Surfaces

Lucknow, January 16: A tragic scene unfolded in Uttar Pradesh's Etah district on Thursday, January 15, as a 10-year-old boy was found sitting alone beside his mother’s body at a district post-mortem facility. The child had reportedly accompanied the corpse to the morgue without any adult family members or relatives by his side, after his mother passed away during treatment of tuberculosis and HIV. The incident has drawn widespread attention to the social isolation faced by families suffering from stigmatised health conditions, as the boy revealed that neighbours and kin had shunned them for over a year.

A Lonely Vigil at the Hospital in Etah

The boy’s mother, a 52-year-old woman, died late Wednesday night, January 14, while undergoing treatment for tuberculosis and HIV at the Veerangana Avanti Bai Medical College in Etah. According to hospital staff, the boy had been her primary caregiver during her stay. On Thursday morning, when the body was moved for a post-mortem examination, the child followed the stretcher alone. Etah: Prank Turns Tragic as 9-Year-Old Boy Dies of Suspected Heart Attack After Being Shooed by 6-Year-Old Girl.

Witnesses at the facility described the boy sitting close to the covered remains for hours, his eyes swollen from crying, refusing to leave his mother's side until police officials arrived. The boy's father had reportedly died a year earlier from the same illness, leaving the 10-year-old as the sole support for his ailing mother.

Minor Boy Reveals Facing Social Isolation and Stigma

The young boy shared a harrowing account of the family's life following his father's diagnosis. "When Papa got AIDS, everyone stopped speaking to us," he told local reporters. He explained that he had to drop out of school to look after his mother as her health deteriorated. Despite having relatives, including an uncle living only 60 kilometres away in Kasganj, the boy claimed no one offered help or acknowledged his mother's death until the situation became a matter of public and police intervention. He had travelled with her to various hospitals in Etah, Kanpur, and Farrukhabad over the past year, navigating the healthcare system largely on his own.

Police Intervention and Last Rites

Local police stepped in after being alerted by residents and hospital visitors who were moved by the sight of the lone child. Jaithra SHO Ritesh Kumar confirmed that a sub-inspector and a constable were dispatched to the spot to assist the boy. "We were informed that a child was alone with the body," the SHO stated. "The boy had no one." Under the supervision of the police, arrangements were made for the autopsy to be conducted. Eventually, a few distant relatives arrived at the mortuary, allowing the exhausted child to finally rest. The police subsequently coordinated with the remaining family members to perform the woman's last rites. Etah Shocker: Woman Hires Contract Killer to Murder Her Daughter, Gets Killed Herself.

Health Department's Response

District health officials in Etah acknowledged the case and confirmed the medical history of the deceased. Chief Medical Officer Dr Rajendra Prasad stated that the woman had completed tuberculosis treatment in 2017 and had received government benefits at that time. The CMO further added that the department is now reviewing the specific circumstances of her most recent admission and the lack of social support provided to the minor. The case has sparked a debate among local activists regarding the need for better social safety nets for children orphaned by chronic or stigmatised illnesses.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 16, 2026 11:51 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).