Cause of death of 5-year-old in Mulleriyawa confirmed after suspect’s confession

In a shocking revelation made during his confession, the suspect arrested in connection with the discovery of the body of a five-year-old today (09 June) has admitted that the boy had not, in fact, died from cut wounds caused by the shards of a broken glass bottle as initially suspected. 

In his confession, the 51-year-old grass cutter admitted that the child had died after the blades of his lawnmower had struck the boy accidentally. 

Grappled with panic at the time, the suspect had then placed the shards of a broken glass bottle near the body, making it appear as the apparent cause of the critical injuries suffered by the child. 

The suspect was arrested by the Mulleriyawa Police this afternoon (09 June), after the body of five-year-old Jonathan Mark Fonseka was recovered from a construction site in the Halbarawa area on Thursday evening (08 June). 

Investigations were initiated after the Mulleriyawa Police were notified by the emergency hotline 119 about the incident. 

It was observed that the five-year-old, named Jonathan Mark Fonseka had died of excessive bleeding after suffering critical cut wounds. 

Meanwhile, suspicions were raised about the pieces of a broken glass bottle found four feet away from the body as no blood stains were observed near the shards. 

The police earlier said the child had been looked after by his grandparents during the daytime, while his mother, who is separated from her husband, was away at work. 

The body of the child was sent to the Infectious Disease Hospital in Mulleriyawa for post-mortem examination following the completion of the magisterial inquest and the Judicial Medical Officer’s on-site inspection.