(CBS News) Police in Sri Lanka said Monday they have arrested two people in connection with the death of a 9-year-old girl who was repeatedly beaten during a ritual they believed would drive away an evil spirit. The two suspects – the woman performing the exorcism and the girl’s mother – were to appear in court Monday to hear charges over the girl’s death, which occurred over the weekend in Delgoda, a small town about 25 miles northeast of the capital, Colombo.
According to police spokesperson Ajith Rohana, the mother believed her daughter had been possessed by a demon and took her to the home of the exorcist so a ritual could be performed to drive the spirit away.