Stepfather arrested for allegedly suffocating a 3-month-old to death

Apurbo, 22, allegedly asphyxiated the baby because he would not stop crying in the early morning hours

Police have arrested a man for allegedly suffocating his 3-month-old stepchild to death in the Bardhanbari area of Mirpur under Dhaka’s Darus Salam Thana. The infant was allegedly sleeping next to his mother early on Friday morning when he began to cry and his stepfather suffocated him to death.

The arrestee has been identified by a single name as Apurbo, 22.

Darus Salam Police Station chief SM Zakaria said, “The 3-month-old boy was sleeping next to his mother on the bed at night. Early on Friday morning, the child began to cry. His stepfather Apurbo then told his wife, 'Stop the baby from crying, or I will kill him.' But the child did not stop crying. The stepfather Apurbo then blocked the child’s mouth. This asphyxiated him, and he died.”

The police official said locals rushed to the spot when they heard the cries of Razia Khatun, the mother. They detained Apurbo and called the police.

Razia has filed a case accusing Apurbo over the incident.

The detained Apurbo is a drug trafficker, police official Zakaria said. Initially, it seems that the child’s father is in jail over a drug-related case. Under the circumstances, Razia married Apurbo about a week ago.