Children found injured with their mother were strangled, inquest hears

A 52-year-old man will appear in court in March charged with murder.

Several bunches of flowers were left beside the police cordon outside Petherton Court, alongside cuddly toys (Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Wire)

Two children who were found seriously injured along with their mother and later died in hospital were strangled, an inquest has heard.

Six-year-old Jeeva Saju and four-year-old Janvi Saju both died after being found with serious injuries at a property in Petherton Court, Kettering, Northamptonshire, on December 15 last year, alongside 35-year-old NHS nurse Anju Ashok.

A forensic post-mortem examination at Leicester Royal Infirmary concluded that all three died of asphyxiation, but at the opening of the inquests into their deaths, a coroner said that the medical cause of death for the children had been listed as strangulation, while Ms Ashok had died of asphyxia.

At the hearing at Northampton Coroner’s Court, Anne Pember, senior coroner for Northamptonshire, said: “I now open the inquest touching upon the death of Anju Ashok, who died at Petherton Court, Kettering, on December 15 last year.

“I have a provisional cause of death from Dr Hamilton as asphyxia, pending further tests. I adjourn this inquest until July 6 2023.”

In a hearing lasting less than 10 minutes, Mrs Pember adjourned the inquests of Jeeva and Janvi Saju to the same date but confirmed that the two children died at Kettering General Hospital and that their provisional causes of death had been noted as strangulation, pending further tests.

Saju Chelavalel, 52, of Petherton Court, was charged with three counts of murder on December 17, after the three victims were found at his address.

He appeared at Northampton Crown Court on December 21 and was remanded in custody until a plea hearing on March 24.

Northamptonshire Police had previously confirmed that Ms Ashok worked as a nurse at Kettering General Hospital.