Three years after her six-month-old baby was found dead in a swampy area near Pulikeezhu in Thiruvalla, the mother was taken into police custody on Tuesday following allegations that her then partner had killed the child and abandoned the body.

The partially decomposed body was discovered in August 2023, and the death was suspected to be a murder. Residents had then described the body as missing some limbs, with the face decomposed to such an extent that identification was not possible.

The incident came to light after a neighbour of the woman recently informed the Kozhinjampara Police about the alleged involvement of her former partner in the crime.

According to the Thiruvalla DySP, the couple were in a short-term relationship when the alleged crime occurred. “It is alleged that the man was angered by the baby’s cries while they were sleeping at night,” the DySP said. He added that the man had allegedly strangled the child with his hands before disposing of the body.

Although the woman had disclosed the incident to her family, she had not approached the police.

“Based on the intimation we received from the Kozhinjampara Police, we have taken the woman into custody,” the DySP said.

“We are yet to initiate proceedings in the matter, as we have only just received the intimation from the Kozhinjampara Police. We have to verify her claims before taking action against the man,” the police said.

The woman has been brought to Thiruvalla for further questioning.