A mother of five children was arrested by the Kuruwita Police yesterday for allegedly burning the face of her five-year- old daughter with a heated spoon used to make hoppers.

On a tip-off received by the Child and Women’s Bureau, the suspect was taken into custody in Erathna, South Adavikanda.

The incident had taken place last Esala Poya day when the suspect woman had heated the spoon used to make hoppers and allegedly burnt the left cheek of her daughter on both sides of her mouth and her right hand. The victim child had obtained treatment from the Erathna Rural Hospital and the mother had informed the hospital authorities that the injuries the child had sustained were burns from hot water.

The suspect woman is said to have arrived from Welimada about seven months ago and had been residing in Erathna employed at a private tea factory. She had informed the police, as the child was using abusive language she had admonished her and burned her mouth.

It was further revealed that she is not legally married and living with someone and given birth to five children.

The Elder three female children and the injured are now kept under the custody of three separate children’s homes. The eldest child is fifteen-years-old and the youngest child is five-years-old.

The OIC of Kuruwita Police Inspector R. P. Siriwardene is conducting further investigations. The victim child and the suspect iareto be produced before Courts shortly.(Ajithlal Shantha Udaya)