COLOMBO– Sri Lanka police arrested a 29-year-old father-of-three from Atulugama, in the Kalutura district, on Monday (30) as the suspected killer of 9-year-old Fatima Ayesha who had gone missing on Friday (27) after a grocery run near her home. She was found dead in a nearby marsh on Saturday (28).
Police investigations have found the individual to be a married man and a neighbour of the victim, Police Media Spokesperson Nihal Thalduwa said, adding that the suspect had waited on the side of the road the girl was taking on her way back from the grocery store, and dragged her to the marsh. Police said the suspect was also drug addict.
Thalduwa, noting that the suspect had also joined the search party after an investigation was opened into the victim’s disappearance, said his behaviour at the time did not arouse suspicion.
The post mortem, conducted by three doctors on Monday, revealed that water and mud had gone into the nose, mouth and lungs of the child, which magistrates attributed as the possible main cause of death. Thalduwa said examinations had showed the child had not been sexually molested or raped.
Police believe the girl was murdered to prevent her from telling her parents what had happened. Some media reports said she had resisted being taken from her planned route.
Further investigations are underway, police said.
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