Infant dies after falling from father's arms

A tragic incident in the Batadombagahatuduwa area of Alubomulla resulted in the death of a two-and-a-half-month-old infant girl after she accidentally slipped from her father's grasp. The child, identified as Ruseli Keasha, passed away on the 10th at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital in Colombo after several days of treatment.

Fatigue and lack of sleep led to the tragic lapse, as the father, a machine operator, had returned home from an overnight shift and was attempting to soothe the crying child. While walking in the veranda to calm her, he momentarily dozed off, causing the infant to fall onto the cement floor. Fearing the consequences, the parents initially did not disclose the fall to neighbours or medical staff, reporting only that the child appeared unwell and discoloured.

Medical examinations revealed the cause of death as a brain hemorrhage and blood clotting resulting from a blunt force injury to the right side of the head. Following a police investigation led by the Alubomulla Police and the Women and Children’s Bureau, the father eventually confessed to the accident on the 18th, explaining he had remained silent out of intense fear.

The father was subsequently arrested and produced before the Panadura Magistrate's Court on charges of negligence. The Magistrate ordered his release on a personal bail of 500,000 rupees and imposed a travel ban, noting the gravity of the oversight that led to the loss of the young life.