In a suspected suicide pact, a family of four, including two children, was found dead in their Wadala residence on Monday morning. The brother of the father, who had come to visit them, found the bodies on one bed, with the heads covered in black polythene bags. The police suspects a financial reason behind the suicide. The husband was involved in a court battle over the ownership of his flat since 2008 and had defaulted on payments to the flat’s owner.
The bodies of Donalas Anthony, 47, his wife Elizabeth, 46, and their two children Jason, 12, and Vivian, 4, have been sent to the Sion Hospital for post-mortem and the Wadala TT police has registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR). The family lived in a 1 BHK flat on the fifth floor in the C wing of the Odyssey tower near the IMAX theatre at Wadala. Around two days ago, Donalas had told his brother Anil that the family was going out and requested him to look after their pet fish and water the plants.
“Anil reached the house on Monday morning along with his son Gracious and noticed a foul smell emanating from the flat. He entered the apartment with a spare set of keys and saw the four bodies lying on the bed. A few neighbours were also informed before Anil and Gracious reached Wadala TT police station around 9.30 am. It strongly seems like a case of suicide but we are awaiting the post-mortem and forensic reports,” said DCP (zone 4) Datta Karale. The police also found two small bottles, suspected to be a chemical labeled “CS” beside their bed. Forensic experts have taken the same for analysis and will determine whether the bottles contained a harmful chemical that was used for committing suicide.
The police believes the suicide took place two days ago as the bodies had began decomposing.
“Their faces had also darkened after the polythene bags were removed and emitted a foul smell. Donalas was experiencing financial difficulties and his flat was also embroiled in a court case which he recently lost,” said a police official.
The family had been living in the building for the past six years. While Donalas worked as a software professional with a private firm, Jason studied at Don Bosco school and Vivian was a kindergartenstudent.