NRI Pulse Staff Report
Atlanta, GA, March 20, 2019: In another heartbreaking chapter in the death of a newborn whose body was found buried in a Bakersfield (California) backyard, the grandfather, Jagsir Singh took his own life last Thursday.
The grandmother, 43-year-old Beant Dhillon has been accused of drowning her newborn grandson in November 2018. She attended her husband’s funeral under police escort.
Court documents say Dhillon found her then 15-year-old daughter in the bathroom giving birth. She allegedly admitted to drowning the baby in the bathtub “to prevent family shame.”
Dhillon then called her husband 47-year-old Jagsir Singh home from work, and showed him the baby, which she had placed in a bag inside of a bucket.
Singh then gave the baby to Dhillon’s nephew, 23-year-old Bakshinderpal Singh Mann who buried the baby in the backyard.
Police say the teen was told the baby was put up for adoption. However, she later found out through her minor brother that the baby was buried in the backyard of their home. She notified school officials on Tuesday. The school in turn, notified police.
Dhillon pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder. She’s next due in court April 17.
Dhillon’s husband was also arrested. He hanged himself at their home after getting out on bail.
The teenage daughter remains in protective custody along with another sibling.
Bakhshinderpal Singh, Dhillon’s nephew allegedly responsible for burying the baby is still wanted in this case.
The case has sent shockwaves in the local Sikh community.
“The community wanted to be here today, not showing support, but to learn that what happened is sad and do something within the community so it doesn’t happen again,” Gurinder Singh Basra, who attended the funeral told the local CNBC news channel.
A GoFundMe account set up by close family friend Satvir Brar has raised close to $30,000 in six days.
“Him (Jagsir) and his wife also have elderly parents that they cared for. Due to unfortunate circumstances surrounding Jagsir’s passing, his family is currently in an extremely dire situation. We need to come together as a community and help them during their time of need,” the campaign says.
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