Abandoned by family, siblings survived on snacks for months

Two minors in Manjeri, Malappuram, have been facing difficulty managing even two square meals a day after their parents and relatives abandoned them. The Childline officials who walked into their house found that the 15-year-old girl and 12-year-old boy were living on snacks for months. 
 

Acting on a tip-off, officials reached the apartment of the children and found that the siblings were living alone after their grandmother, who was taking care of them left the house following a quarrel with their mother. The brother-sister duo had been fending for themselves for the past four months. 
 

Reports are that their father is living in Thiruvananthapuram with his second wife and the mother of children left for Dubai in search of work. She had entrusted the kids with grandmother and is regularly sending money for their expenses. She would call them regularly over the phone, but the kids had to take care of themselves after their grand mother left them. 
 

The girl, a tenth standard student, had not attended classes for past 11 days and was suffering from malnutrition and breathing trouble. Childline officials said there were no signs of cooking at the house and children were surviving on snacks. 
 

The kids and their mother relocated to Manjeri from Kollam after their father left them. The Childline officials contacted their mother but failed to contact their father and other relatives. The authorities are planning to rehabilitate them and will investigate all aspects of the case, district child protection officer Sameer Machingal said. 
 

The children were produced before Child Welfare Committee and were sent to separate state homes. 

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• siblings survived on snacks
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• abandoned siblings