14-year old mother

29 September 2010 11:21 am

The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) is looking into the case of a fourteen-year-old who gave birth to a child at the Castle Hospital in Colombo. The mother and child are being kept under the protection of the NCPA. The NCPA was informed of the situation by the Doctors and Officials of the Hospital and the case was taken up in Courts today.

It is alleged that the young woman was raped at the age of thirteen by a mason who visited the house. Following this incident, a private donor had helped the girl by accompanying her to a private clinic to receive the necessary treatment, the victim had told the NCPA authorities.

She also told the NCPA that her mother is mentally unstable and her father is deceased.

The baby has been placed in an incubator due to it being underweight and not in a good health.

NCPA Chairman Anoma Dissanayake said that they would investigate as to who admitted the girl into hospital as there was no one who would take responsibility at this point.

“Cases such as this are quite common and no doctors or nurses inform the NCPA when they take place. Luckily this was brought to our attention by this doctor at the Castle Street Hospital, and we thank the doctor and the directors for informing us”, she said

The NCPA will follow legal procedures to continue looking after the women and her child due to her being underage.