Mother poisons infant

Yasaratne Gamage and Sabaragamuwa group cor

A woman who allegedly killed her infant by poisoning, was arrested by Yatiyantota Police on Saturday. Police said the worker, 32 also attempted to commit suicide after poisoning the male infant aged one year and eight months.

The infant died at Karawanella Hospital on admission. The suspect testifying at the inquest on the death of her son, said after eating bread and a dhal curry for dinner, she drank a portion of the contents in the vial of insecticide bought from a pharmacy and forced the child to drink the balance.

"Thereafter, I gagged the child to prevent my parents' from hearing the child's cries. Minutes later, I felt faintish and vomitish and wrapped a cloth round my neck. I am oblivious as to what happened later," she said testifying at the inquest held by coroner G W Parussella at the Kurunegala Hospital morgue.

The suspect who herself is receiving treatment at the ICU hospital, testified at the inquest with the sanction of the doctor's treating her. She and her child were admitted to hospital on Saturday night in a state of unconsciousness after allegedly drinking a poisonous substance.

The Ruwanwella magistrate was due to conduct the magisterial inquiry yesterday.