The mother asked a beggar to paint her child silver and then hold him on the street so that they could all make money A mother asked a beggar to paint her child silver and then on the street

The mother asked a beggar to paint her child silver and then hold him in the street so they could all make money

A mother asked a beggar to paint her child silver and then took him in her arms on the street in exchange for just £1.

Allegedly, the money was given to her by a group of street performers who painted themselves with silver imitation statues while the baby was their prop, and after photos of the silver-haired beggar and the baby were shared on social media, authorities discovered the exploitation of the child.

In Nantanglang, a two-hour drive south of Jakarta, Indonesia, police arrested the mother of the 10-month-old child, and social services rushed to care for the child.

Vayoto Lukman, head of social services in Southern Tangerang, said: "We followed up on the incident after the baby's photos went viral on social media, where mothers and children were taken away by the church and they would step in and help them.

Whatever the reason for begging, it is the exploitation of children. "We will assess the situation to see if the child's parents need skills so they can find better jobs or if they need help with groceries," he added.

In recent months, the number of "silver-haired people" on Indonesia's streets has soared, with many beggars imitating statues approaching motorists at intersections.

Social welfare agencies in Jakarta say the pandemic has led to a significant reduction in jobs, forcing people struggling to find other ways to raise funds.

A popular determination is that teenagers paint themselves silver and walk to the sidewalks and roads, each holding a cardboard box to collect public donations.

According to the Daily Mail, this metallic coating is made from a dangerous mixture of screen printing powder and kerosene, which can only be washed off with detergents or dishwashing soaps, and the chemicals in the paint can cause rashes, itching and skin infections.