Death by Chocolate? What Exactly Killed this 10-Year-Old Birthday Girl in Patiala?

03rd April 2024:  It was one of the happiest days in the life of 10 year old Manvi Lal. Her birthday. Just like any of us, Manvi’s family ordered a cake from a local bakery in Patiala, called Cake Kanha, through Zomato. At 7pm, as you can see in this video, everything was well. Just like any of us, Manvi’s family gathered around her and she cut her birthday cake, and stuffing it into her mouth, laughing constantly, not knowing, that soon, this is going to be her last birthday, ever. A horror that no child, or family should have to go through. But this happened and when the news came out, it shocked the nation. 

But the big question is. Can food poisoning kill so instantly. To know this, I spoke to doctor Wadhwa from Prime Medical Hospital here in Dubai and this is what he had to say. "Extreme reatcion in food poisoning is called Septicemia, or sepsis, and it's not very uncommon. It is the body's most extreme response to an infection. It is a medical emergency and needs urgent medical treatment."

Dr Wadhwa’s statement is backed by other such fatal incidents of food poisoning that have occured in the past. Last Ootober, a 24-year-old man, succumbed to food poisoning after eating a shawarma from an eatery in Kochi. 

His family claimed that he developed symptoms of food poisoning a day after eating the shawarma, which led to multiple organ failure. In another case, a 14-year-old girl in Chennai died after eating outside whereas 43 others were hospitalised

But coming back to Manvi’s case, as per the reports, all the family members who had eaten the cake, felt nauseous and threw up at around 10 pm - some 3 hours after having the cake. However, Manvi’s condition was the worst. While her younger sister also experienced vomiting, Manvi not only vomited but also felt extremely dehydrated and sick. Manvi’s grandfather Harban Lal said Manvi had even started frothing at the mouth. At around 2 am, Manvi said she was feeling extremely thirsty asked for water. After having a few sips, she went off to sleep, as per reports, but later, when her family checked on her, at around 4 am, they found that her entire body had turned cold. The family panicked and rushed her to the hospital as her condition worsened. But unfortunately it was already too late. Despite medical intervention, including oxygen support and an ECG, she could not be saved and was declared dead.

The family has accused the bakery of delivering a cake containing a poisonous substance and the police have filed an (FIR) against the owner, who is still at large. 3 employees of the bakery have been arrested and the outlet has been shut down. The family has accused the health department of doing precious little to help them but now with the case going viral on social media, the government is also under pressure. 

While Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh has ordered an inquiry into her death, he also said that prima facie it did not appear to be a case of food poisoning. He said he has asked the food safety department to get the cake tested from the state’s food safety lab as the family has given the remaining cake to the authorities. But after all, it’s a cake which is a highly perishable item. By now, it must have been spoiled and poisoned anyway. 

And the health minister has many questions on his mind about this case.

Like - "How is it possible that only one child died after eating the cake? After all, many other people also had it. I am told some had vomiting. But it cannot be that the spoiled cake only killed one and the rest did not even need hospitalisation.”

The minister may be right in asking these questions. After all, it is a matter of investigation. We will know whether it was the cake or something else, he said. 

Yes, we too are waiting to know what exactly happened that night where an entire family consumed the cake but only the birthday girl lost her life. 

But is there more than what meets the eye here. Is this a horrific reminder of the Aarushi case or is it indeed a straightforward case of food poisoning? Could Manvi have been saved if she was taken to a doctor earlier?

Watch the uncut video here

Whatever it may be, this story is enough to send chills down our spine and make us think twice before consuming food from outside. We really can never know what is it that goes into the foods that are not prepared in our own kitchens. While our immune systems are strong enough to endure the onslaught of the dirty, unhealthy fast food and more that we spend our hard earned money on, so often, there are times like these, when we are not so lucky. Sometimes, the worst happens, which is exactly what happened with Manvi, taking away this innocent child from her family, who may have planned so much life ahead for her but that one moment on her own birthday, ended it all, forever. 

What are your thoughts?