Kochi family of four found dead; seven-year-old's body recovered from river
The body of a seven-year-old girl was recovered from a river near Piravom in Kochi on Sunday (June 28, 2026), completing the recovery of all four members of a family who were found dead, police said.
Police and Fire and Rescue Services personnel had been searching for the girl's body since Saturday (June 27, 2026) but were unsuccessful. The search resumed on Sunday morning, and the body was recovered from the river near Piravom, officials said.
The bodies of the girl's mother, Viji, a visually impaired woman, and her two-year-old son were recovered from the river on Friday (June 26, 2026) evening. Following an investigation, police identified them as residents of a rented house in Kothamangalam.
After they were identified, police launched a search for Viji's husband, Narayanan, and their daughter, who were missing. Narayanan's body was recovered from the river on Saturday. According to police, Narayanan, a native of Palakkad, was living with his family in a rented house in Kothamangalam.
Police have recorded the statements of relatives and others close to the family. According to officials, Narayanan and his family had recently approached the Kothamangalam police seeking financial assistance as they were unable to pay the rent for their house. Police helped arrange alternative accommodation, and the family was scheduled to shift there on Sunday (June 28, 2026).
Investigators have also recovered CCTV footage from a restaurant in Piravom showing the family having food there on Thursday (June 25, 2026). Police have registered a case of unnatural death. The postmortem examination of the bodies would be completed on Sunday, following which they would be handed over to the relatives.
