On March 13, 2026, the Madras High Court made an important decision about where a child with autism can visit their parent. Here's what happened.
K. Priyanka and S. Kamesh, the parents in this case, have been in a legal battle since they separated. They got married on August 23, 2018, and had their son, Karvik Krishna, on August 14, 2020. Sadly, Karvik has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, which means he needs regular therapy and special care.
On December 10, 2025, a judge decided that K. Priyanka could only see her son for three hours every Saturday at the Vadivudaiamman Temple in Tiruvottiyur. K. Priyanka wanted to have her son with her from Friday evening to Sunday evening.
"Limiting the mother to three hours each week makes her just an observer," said K. Priyanka's lawyer.
K. Priyanka appealed, saying that the temple was not a good place for her son because of his condition, and that she needed more time to connect with him. She showed how she could take care of her son and shared proof of their loving relationship.
S. Kamesh, the father, has been the main caregiver and said that changing the schedule could mess up the child's therapies. He also questioned if K. Priyanka could handle their son's special needs.
Judges P. Velmurugan and K. Govindarajan Thilakavadi listened to the appeal. They agreed that the child's well-being was most important and that the busy temple was not a good place for him.
The court decided not to let K. Priyanka have her son overnight, but they did change the place where she can visit him to Arignar Anna Park in Ennore, Chennai. This change is meant to give the child a quieter place.
"The place of visitation is changed from Vadivudaiamman Temple to Arignar Anna Park," said the court.
The court did not allow K. Priyanka to have her son for the whole weekend, but they did agree that a calmer place for visits was needed. This case shows how challenging it can be to decide on custody for children with special needs and how the court focuses on what's best for the child.
