Bangkok police probe death of six-month-old boy

Police and forensic officers are investigating the death of a six-month-old boy in Bangkok's Laksi district after he was found unresponsive while being looked after by a couple hired by his parents.

Officers from Thung Song Hong Police Station, forensic staff, a Chulabhorn Hospital forensic doctor and Ruamkatanyu Foundation workers attended the scene at the entrance to Chaeng Watthana Housing, Soi Chaeng Watthana 14, Thung Song Hong, at about 6pm on 23 September. The incident was reported on 24 September.

The boy, identified as Time, was lying in an ambulance. His 26-year-old parents, named only as Ms A and Mr B, were beside the vehicle. A male and female babysitting couple were also at the scene.

Parents await post-mortem findings

The mother said she and her partner work and live near Soi Chaeng Watthana 10. She cared for her son herself during the first two to three months after giving birth, while on maternity leave, but sought a babysitter when she returned to work.

After speaking with several candidates, she hired the female babysitter, who had recently given birth herself, for 6,000 baht per month. For the past three months, the mother said she had dropped Time at the housing estate at 8am and collected him between 9pm and 10pm after work.

The babysitter would send updates and photographs, telling her that the child moved around a lot in his sleep and often slept face down, the mother said. Earlier this month, the babysitter asked for her fee to be raised to 7,000 baht, and the mother did not refuse.

At about 4pm, the babysitter called to say Time was not breathing. When the mother arrived, CPR was being carried out and the boy had turned blue. He was taken downstairs to wait for the ambulance, but the mother said it was too late when it arrived.

She said she was confused by what had happened and did not fully accept the babysitter's account, but would not accuse anyone before the autopsy results were available.

Babysitter gives account of discovery

The babysitter, Ms Jo, said she had cared for Time for around three to four months. She said that at about 2pm, the boy was asleep, while she also slept with her own child. Her boyfriend, Mr Bank, went out to buy food.

On returning, Mr Bank allegedly found Time face down, looked like he was deeply asleep, with a towel wrapped around his neck and body. He removed the towel and found the boy had heavily soiled the bedding, Ms Jo said.

He said the boy was then pale, unconscious and not breathing. The couple called the 1669 emergency service and performed CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. She said a large amount of mucus came out during the rescue attempt.

Ms Jo also claimed that Time sometimes arrived with marks on his body, including spots resembling cigarette burns and bruising around his eye sockets. She said she sent photographs to his mother, who attributed the marks to toys, mosquito bites and the child playing. Ms Jo said she had once dropped the boy from a bed, but had immediately informed his mother and sent photographs.

Injuries noted during examination

Initial examination found injuries behind the ears and on the lips, as well as bruising around the eye sockets. The body has been sent to Chulabhorn Hospital's forensic medicine department to establish the cause of death.

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25 September 2026