10-year-old boy found dead; parents arrested

The parents and the grandmother of a 10-year-old boy have been arrested over an incident in which the boy was found dead on the bed in a room inside the house in Badalgama. 

Police spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa said the Police rushed to the scene after they were informed of a stench emanating from a house at the Andimulla area in Badalgama last evening. 

The boy is reported to have fallen seriously ill after phlegm got stuck in his throat. However, the child had not been taken for medical treatment by his parents rather kept praying as per their religious belief.

It has been revealed that the boy had died while the prayers were in progress. 

Accordingly, the Police have arrested the child’s parents and grandmother in connection with the death.

Meanwhile, a neighbor said the child was suffering from diabetes and was receiving treatment for the disease.

“However, the parents who were influenced by another religious belief, had stopped giving medicines to the child as per the instruction of the particular religious group which had promised the parents that the child could be healed,” he said.

“They (parents) were almost brainwashed and decided to discontinue giving medicines to the child which he was in need of,”

The Daily Mirror learns that the parents were part of a group affiliated to a religious cult.