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In a deeply disturbing development, the postmortem report of a three-year-old girl who was allegedly killed by her mother in Kerala has revealed that the child was sexually assaulted multiple times before her death. Following the report, a close relative of the child's father was arrested on Wednesday, May 21, under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
According to police sources, the child had sustained injuries in her private parts, and the accused, who often stayed at the child’s home, has admitted to sexually assaulting her around ten times.
The incident came to light after the girl's mother, identified as 35-year-old from Thiruvankulam, allegedly threw the child into the Chalakudy river near Moozhikulam Bridge in Chengamanad on the evening of May 19. The body was recovered after an eight-and-a-half-hour search operation early on May 20.
Police began investigating the mother after discrepancies emerged in her statements. CCTV footage confirmed that she picked up her daughter from an Anganwadi school and was seen with her near the bridge. However, she later reached her mother’s house in Kurumasseri alone in an auto-rickshaw. The auto driver confirmed to police that the woman was not accompanied by a child during the journey.
Relatives of the woman told the media that she had long-standing mental health issues. Police also confirmed to TNM that she had previously attempted to harm both her children.
"We have not been able to obtain clear statements from the mother due to her mental condition," a police officer told TNM. "She did not explain why she killed the child, nor has she said whether she was aware of the sexual assault. We are examining whether her mental distress played a role in the incident."
At this stage, police say they have not found a direct connection between the sexual assault and the murder. The investigation is ongoing.