Infant left in a train: Couple says they will be legally married for child’s well-being

The unmarried couple who had abandoned a 13-day-old infant in the toilet of the Batticaloa-bound Meenagaya express train today sought court’s permission for the care and full custody of their child after insisting that they will be legally married for the child’s well-being.

Senior Counsel Lakshan Dias appearing for the couple informed court that his clients are ready to take custody of the child and preparing to legally marry by today itself considering the utmost well-being of the child.

Taking into consideration the facts, Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage ordered the Director of Lady Ridgeway Hospital, to hand over the infant to their parents. Accordingly, the couple was ordered to be released on two sureties of Rs.500,00 each. The infant is to be supervised under the direct supervision of a Probation Officer.  Meanwhile, the Magistrate further ordered that the child and the suspect couple to appear before the Government Analyst on March 21 for a DNA test. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)