Tragedy Compounded

Frisco police determine Dhawan couple's deaths were murder-suicide

Frisco police are calling the deaths of Sumeet and Pallavi Dhawan a murder-suicide. The couple's bodies were found September 3 at their home in the 15000 block of Mountain View Lane in the Hunter's Creek neighborhood.

The upscale home is the same location where 10-year-old Arnav Dhawan was found dead on January 29. His mother, Pallavi Dhawan, was charged with murder in a confusing case that involved a language barrier, Hindu religious customs and a rare brain condition.

According to police, Sumeet died of "blunt force head injuries." He also had sleeping pills in his system. Sumeet's death was ruled a homicide.

Pallavi drowned to death in an apparent suicide. Like her husband, she had ingested sleeping pills. Her body was found in the family's swimming pool and had no signs of trauma. Sumeet died inside the home. A note was found at the scene, but the contents have not been disclosed.

"The note is currently in possession of the Texas Department of Public Safety for analysis. Details of the note are not being released at this time pending the results of the analysis and examination," Frisco police said in a statement.

Through their attorney, Pallavi and Sumeet had previously denied that she had anything to do with Arnav's death. The Collin County Medical Examiner believed the cause of Arnav's death was natural, though the ruling wasn't definitive because his body had already started decomposing.

A grand jury investigation had recently begun in the case. Pallavi hadn't been indicted.

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E-Cigarette News

Dallas City Council places restrictions on vaping in public

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Man vaping

Vaping will now be banned exactly like smoking, thanks to a new ordinance from the Dallas City Council.

At their December 11 meeting, the council passed an ordinance to ban vaping in all the same areas where smoking is not allowed. It'll go into effect on December 11, 2025 — giving everyone a year to get into compliance.

Proposed by City of Dallas Environmental Commission (EVC) and the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS), the ordinance amends the definition of “smoking” in the Dallas City Code to include the use of vaping devices.

The ordinance does not ban vaping — it only bans where you can vape: no vaping in all indoor and enclosed spaces; within 15 feet of building entrances; and on park property. The ordinance also bans marijuana smoking in those same places.

In addition, the amendment requires restaurants, hotels, fitness centers and other businesses to update their signage to clearly state that both smoking and electronic smoking devices are prohibited.

The ordinance already earned widespread support from health organizations such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. These organizations, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have all raised concerns about the health risks of direct and second-hand exposure to vaping aerosols, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and older adults.

Dallas is not the first city to impose such a ban: San Antonio enacted a similar ban in October. Theirs goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

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