Cough syrup turns fatal in Medak: One child dies, four others hospitalized

Medak: An 8-year-old girl died and four of her siblings were hospitalized after allegedly being given cough syrup in Budaga Jangam Colony of Alladurg Mandal, Medak district.

The tragic incident occurred when their mother administered the syrup, reportedly taken from a government hospital a month ago, to treat cold and fever.

The victim, Priya, and her four siblings—Renuka, Srinu, Aishwarya, and Ganesh—children of daily-wage workers Sayamma and her husband, developed health complications shortly after consuming the medicine.

The syrup, according to the mother, was obtained from Alladurg PHC during an earlier visit and kept at home. Moments after taking the medication, all five children began to vomit and showed signs of distress.

The panicked parents rushed them to Jogipet Government Hospital, where Priya was declared dead, and the others were admitted for treatment.

Doctors deny expiry link, await postmortem

While the parents blame the cough syrup for Priya's death, hospital authorities stated that the medicine was not expired and have urged people to wait for the postmortem report, which will confirm the actual cause of death. Doctors said Aishwarya and Srinu are recovering well, while Renuka and Ganesh continue to be monitored.

Police probe underway

Alladurg Police have registered a case and sent Priya’s body for a postmortem examination. Officers confirmed they are also testing the syrup samples and recording statements from the family to determine if the medicine was improperly stored, misused, or contaminated.

“We are treating this as a suspicious death,” a police official said. “Only after receiving the postmortem and forensic reports can we confirm what led to the child’s death.”

Community in mourning

The incident has left the entire locality in grief. Officials from the Health Department and Child Welfare Division have reached the area to offer support and conduct awareness campaigns. Medical teams are advising families not to use old or leftover medicines without consulting a doctor.

The case has highlighted the need for stricter medicine usage guidelines in rural areas and raised questions about the safe storage and distribution of drugs from public health centers, health department officials said.