Suchana Seth: How Can A Mother Kill Her Child! Psychiatrist Explores Complex Reasons

The murder of a four-year-old child by his mother - a highly accomplished and successful CEO of a Bengaluru-based start-up - has shocked the whole nation. Suchana Seth, the 39-year-old founder and CEO of Mindful AI Lab, has been accused of murdering her minor son in a service apartment in Candolim, North Goa. The trajectory of the woman, who has carved a niche for herself in the professional world, from a successful CEO to a son’s killer, has shocked the most cynical people out of their wits. But what makes a mother kill her own child? How much does her divorce have a bearing on the case? Dr Gorav Gupta, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, Founder & Director – Tulasi Healthcare, weighs in on the topic.

Suchana Seth's Son's Murder: Expert's Take On Motives

Dr Gorav Gupta says, "A mother killing her son is a tragic act that contradicts everything positive in the sense of maternal love and protection. To understand such a behaviour, one should keep in mind that the individual cases may be affected by numerous factors." The doctor lists the following factors that might be a factor in such cases.

Mental Health Issues: For instance, the mother has severe mental disorders like psychosis, schizophrenia, serious depression or other psychiatric conditions. These disorders affect the judgments and distort one’s reality, resulting in acts that would never happen if a person were healthy mentally.

Stress and Overwhelm: Unaltered stressors that affect personal relationships, financial issues or any other life challenges can exacerbate an individual’s situation up to the limits. If a mother is overwhelmed by these stressors and does not possess enough coping skills to deal with them, it may cause the collapse of her ability to care for his child.

History Of Abuse Or Trauma: This may impact her mental and emotional state considering the history of abuse or trauma in the mother’s life. If the trauma is not resolved, it may result in dysfunctional coping mechanisms and can interfere with parenting abilities.

Substance Abuse: Any form of substance abuse that includes alcohol and drugs has the potential for decreasing judgment ability which can in turn cause impulsive behaviour and reckless actions. Mental health problems may make substance abuse issues even worse.

Psychopathic Or Sociopathic Tendencies: Sometimes, individuals show psychopathic or sociopathic traits with no sympathy over a sense of guilt and regret. This may lead to violent actions, including hurting one’s child.

'Keep Child's Welfare In Mind During Divorce'

In Suchana Seth's case, initial investigations had revealed that she committed the crime to deny her ex-husband access to the child after a court granted him visitation rights. During divorce and custody battles, communication is key, says the doctor. " Remember, the ultimate goal is to create a healthy, stable environment for your child amid the challenges of divorce and custody battles," shares Dr Gupta. Here are some key steps divorcing parents should follow, says Dr Gupta.

- Maintain a respectful dialogue to prioritise your child's well-being.
- Seek mediation or counselling to resolve disputes amicably.
- Focus on the child's needs rather than personal grievances.
- Be flexible with visitation schedules and co-parenting arrangements.
- Keep emotions in check during discussions and court proceedings.
- Document communication for legal purposes. Consult with a family law attorney for guidance.
- Prioritize self-care to manage stress.
- Encourage open communication between your child and the other parent.

Who Is Suchana Seth?

The script was supposed to be different. Suchana Seth is a CEO who founded her own artificial intelligence (AI) company in a pandemic year. She has been hailed as passionate and brilliant in the past. But today, she stands accused of one of the most horrific crimes known to humanity - a mother murdering her son. 

Seth studied physics at the University of Calcutta before becoming a research fellow at the Raman Research Institute in Bengaluru between 2008 and 2011.  Seth has been a Mozilla Fellow at Data & Society, a Fellow at the Berkman Klein Centre at Harvard University, and a research fellow at the Raman Research Institute. Seth, who hails from West Bengal, has also been featured on the '100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics' List for 2021.

Cases Like These Are Complex

Dr Gupta says that people should stop making their own inferences because while the case is rightly shocking and shakes key values, it's not easy to understand the whys. "Such cases should be addressed sensitively and without jumping to conclusions because every case is complex. These cases are normally fully investigated by legal authorities and mental health professionals so that they can establish the root causes as well as appropriate treatment interventions," says Dr Gupta.