By Roy Denish.
The Pettah infant assault case has shocked Colombo after a homeless man allegedly bound and beat a nine-month-old girl because she kept crying.
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — The Pettah infant assault has led to the arrest and remand of a homeless man accused of tying a nine-month-old girl to a chair and repeatedly beating her because she would not stop crying, police said.
The suspect, described as a transient who frequently stayed in the area, was arrested by Colombo police while walking through Pettah’s streets. He remains in remand custody as officers continue their investigation.
Police said the infant’s parents had recently moved to Colombo from an outlying area while searching for employment. A cafe owner on Maliban Street had offered the family temporary accommodation.
The alleged abuse occurred during a four-day period after the child’s father left the residence to seek work and did not return. With no food or cooking supplies available, the 23-year-old mother left the room to find meals.
She placed the infant in the care of the suspect, who had befriended the family only days earlier.
When the mother returned, she found her daughter’s arms and legs bound to a chair with nylon rope. Police said the nine-month-old had multiple visible bruises across her body.
The mother immediately informed the authorities, and responding officers located and arrested the suspect nearby.
The infant was taken for medical examination and treatment for her injuries. Police are continuing their inquiries, with charges against the suspect expected to be formally filed as the investigation proceeds.
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