Relatives of a 15-year-old girl residing in the Karambaketiya, Dambade area near the western slopes of the Knuckles mountain range had lodged a complaint with the Ududumbara Police several months ago stating that she had gone missing. Police officers who initiated investigations subsequently grew suspicious of a youth loitering in the area.
Observing that the youth was purchasing daily provisions from local shops in quantities far exceeding what was needed for a single person, police officers trailed him and conducted an inquiry.
Key Points
- The missing 15-year-old girl had given birth inside the cave
- The umbilical cord was severed using a kithul-tapping knife
- The 23-year-old youth alleged to be the child's father and a 30-year-old relative have been arrested
Childbirth inside the cave
Police uncovered that the youth was staying in a cave located inside a forest reserve far away from human settlements, and that an underage mother and a small infant were also inside. It was later confirmed that the mother was the 15-year-old girl previously reported missing.
Interrogations revealed that the girl had given birth to the child inside the cave, and that the infant's umbilical cord was cut and severed using a knife used for tapping kithul palms. They also stated that herbal remedies collected from the forest reserve were used to treat both the mother and the baby.
Two in police custody
Steps were taken to admit the two-month-old infant taken into police custody to the Kandy National Hospital for further medical treatment.
In connection with the incident, police arrested the 23-year-old youth alleged to be the father of the child, as well as his 30-year-old relative who aided and abetted him.
What happens next?
Ududumbara Police are conducting further investigations into the incident.
