The situation described could be attributed to the phenomenon known as the "speed of light" and the finite time it takes for light to travel. In physics, the speed of light is approximately 299,792 kilometers per second (or about 186,282 miles per second) in a vacuum.
When the mother is calling the child in the dark and using a torch, the light emitted from the torch takes a finite amount of time to reach the child's eyes. This time delay is imperceptible in most everyday situations because the speed of light is incredibly fast. However, in the scenario described, it seems the child hears the mother's voice before seeing the light from the torch.
The apparent delay between the sound of the mother's voice and the arrival of light could be due to the fact that sound travels much slower than light. Sound typically travels at speeds of around 343 meters per second (or 1,125 feet per second) in air. Therefore, the child may hear the mother's voice almost instantaneously, while the light from the torch, which travels significantly faster, takes a very short but noticeable amount of time to reach the child's eyes.
This phenomenon is more noticeable when there is a significant distance between the source of sound and light, creating a perceptible delay in the child's sensory experience.