Woman who ‘discarded’ newborn in trash bin charged with murder

A Sri Lankan woman believed to have abandoned her newborn, whose body was found with trash at a waste collection center in ADh. Dhigurah in December, has been pressed with three charges, including murder.

The fully formed female newborn, weighing around three kilograms, was found dead in a plastic bag amongst waste collected from homes and businesses in Dhigurah on December 3.

The infant was found with the umbilical cord uncut, and appeared to have been abandoned just after birth.

Hiranya Kumudumali de Alwis, 30, believed to be the mother, was arrested from the Velana International Airport the same day, as she waited for a flight back to Colombo.

The Prosecutor General’s Office states it filed three charges against Alwis with the Criminal Court on Tuesday.

The charges:

• Murder with intent
• Endangering the health of a child despite being responsible for protecting them
• Concealing the death of a person

According to the PGO, Alwis had concealed her pregnancy, and failed to take measures to safeguard the health of her child throughout the pregnancy.

She is believed to have birthed her child into the toilet of a home in Dhigurah sometime between 10:00 pm on December 1 and 05:00 am on December 3.

She picked the child from the toilet, wrapped her in a plastic bag, and then discarded her into a green trash bin – designated for biodegradable waste – on a street – at around 05:31 am on December 3.

Alwis, who worked at a guesthouse in Dhigurah, is jailed pending the outcome of her trial.

She faces over 28 years in prison if found guilty of the charges.