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The photographs were hard to look at: a four-year-old girl, her small face bruised and her left eye swollen shut, abandoned on a lonely road in Wattegama. Within hours the images were everywhere, now captioned as though she had died: “Oh, she’s gone… may you attain Nibbana, little one.” Sinhala feeds filled with grief for a child who, it turns out, is still alive. We investigated. Here is what we found.
Social Media Posts
One Facebook post shared the images while questioning whether the death claims were even true:
Background of the Incident
A four-year-old girl was found abandoned on a deserted road in Wattegama, in the Kandy District, by residents and local authorities. By the time she was found she had been severely beaten, with extensive injuries and heavy swelling and bruising across her face, especially around her left eye. Authorities rescued her at once and admitted her to hospital for treatment.
The suspect who allegedly brought the girl to Wattegama in a three-wheeler and left her by the road, along with the mother’s partner, were arrested by Hali-Ela Police and remanded until the 27th.
No Mainstream Media Reported the Child’s Death
Mainstream outlets had already covered the case, so had the girl died, they would have reported it. We found no such report in any mainstream media.
Wattegama Police Confirmed the Child Is Alive
We contacted Wattegama Police, who confirmed that the claims of the child’s death are false. They said she is still receiving treatment at Kandy Hospital and is not in a life-threatening condition.
Kandy National Hospital Confirmed She Is Still Being Treated
Kandy National Hospital also confirmed that the girl remains admitted and is receiving treatment. Her condition is not critical, but she needs to stay a few more days while the relevant authorities take the necessary steps regarding her welfare.
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Conclusion
Our investigation found that the social media posts claiming the four-year-old girl abandoned on a Wattegama road had died are false.
Wattegama Police confirmed she is receiving treatment at Kandy Hospital, is not in a critical condition, and that reports of her death are untrue. Kandy National Hospital likewise confirmed she remains admitted and is recovering.
Title: The Wattegama Girl Is Alive: Debunking the Viral ‘She Has Died’ Posts
Fact Check By: Pavithra Sandamali
Result: False
