Father Seeks Help After Autistic Son’s Mysterious Death
An 8‑year‑old autistic boy died under suspicious circumstances after living with his mother and her new husband for less than a month. The father, aided by the Pavina Hongsakul Foundation, secured the body for autopsy, which revealed severe internal injuries indicative of abuse. Police have opened an investigation into the mother and stepfather.
Father managed to secure the body of his 8-year-old autistic son, whose death appeared suspicious after the boy had been living with his ex-wife and her new husband for less than a month. The father grew doubtful when the ex-wife told him not to interfere, saying she would handle the funeral himself. He had the body sent for autopsy, and the results were shocking. Pavina Hongsakul coordinated with police to immediately investigate those close to the child.
At 2:30 p.m. on October 13, 2024, at the Police Hospital’s Institute of Forensic Science, Pavina Hongsakul accompanied the father, identified only as Mr. A, 47, to retrieve his son’s body. The corpse showed bruises on the abdomen, left cheek, chest, back, arms, legs, and elsewhere, after the boy had stayed with his mother and stepfather for just over a month.
Before seeking Pavina’s help for an autopsy, the father suspected foul play. Pavina then contacted Police Colonel Sarayuth Champhiu of Nam Som Police Station in Udon Thani Province, who placed a hold on the body at the temple while funeral preparations were underway and arranged for it to be sent to the Police Hospital for examination.
The preliminary autopsy report revealed external wounds on the abdomen, with bruising across the torso. Upon opening the abdomen, doctors found a torn mesentery, injured intra-abdominal organs, and a large amount of blood in the abdominal cavity, which caused death.
Following the results, Pavina promptly called Police Colonel Sarayuth Champhiu to urge an investigation of anyone who had been close to the boy before his death—namely the mother and stepfather—so that legal action could be taken against the perpetrator immediately.
The case stems from October 11, when Mr. A posted a plea on the ‘Pavina Hongsakul Foundation for Children and Women’ Facebook page, saying his 8‑year‑old autistic son, who cannot speak, had died under suspicious circumstances after spending just over a month with his mother and her partner. Prior to that, the boy had been living with his maternal uncle and aunt in Nakhon Phanom Province and was in good health.
On October 10, the ex‑wife called to say the boy had had a fever for three days, suffered seizures, was taken to hospital, and then died. The father found it strange that she told him not to get involved and that she would arrange the funeral herself, planning to cremate the body on October 13. Wanting an autopsy, he faced a cost of about 8,000 baht for transporting the body, which he could not afford.
Meanwhile, the ex‑wife pressed police to quickly release the body for religious rites. Feeling helpless, the father posted on social media, where sympathetic users advised him to contact Pavina Hongsakul, who could help. He reached out immediately, and Pavina not only assisted with the case but also covered the transportation costs for the autopsy and liaised with Police Colonel Sarayuth Champhiu so the father could meet him before the body was secured at the temple.
Seeing his son’s bruised abdomen, left cheek, chest, back, arms, legs, and body, the father believed the child had suffered a painful death.
Pavina Hongsakul said that after receiving the report she immediately coordinated with Police Colonel Sarayuth Champhiu, secured the body for autopsy, and, once the results were out, informed the colonel to investigate those close to the boy. The Pavina Hongsakul Foundation will continue to monitor the case closely together with the officer.
