A mother who attempted to discipline her 12-year-old child came within inches of losing her life when the child allegedly attempted to kill her by placing rat poison in her food.

The mother wept openly while she related to the Spanish Town police the allegation that her daughter had attempted to kill her by putting poison in her porridge.

The police, who took the child into custody on a charge of attempted murder, still have the 'murder weapon', the porridge, in their custody.

Police reports are that the child, who had reportedly carried out some acts of indiscipline, was reprimanded by her mother. During the argument, the child, it is alleged, threatened to kill her mother.

It is reported that the girl then volunteered to cook a pot of porridge for the family and apparently still upset at her mother, allegedly tried to exact revenge.

Our Sources was told that it is alleged that the misguided child ate her portion of the porridge before deciding to place bits of rat poison in her mother's share.

The mother, quite cognisant of the strained relationship between her and the child, saw the strange objects, which she later found to be poison. A report was then made to the Spanish Town police.