A 38-year-old woman was arrested on Saturday for allegedly kidnapping her 8-year-old niece and demanding a $3,500 ransom after threatening to cut out and sell the girl’s kidneys, a police official said.
Seng Sokly had taken the girl from a school in Kompong Speu province on Friday and fled to Kompong Chhnang City where she was nabbed after withdrawing money from a Wing money transfer shop in Phsar Chhnang commune, said Sam Sak, deputy provincial police chief for Kompong Speu.
Mr. Sak said the aunt, the older sister of her niece’s mother, had originally demanded $4,000 from the girl’s parents before accepting $3,500.
“The victim transferred $2,000 but [Ms. Sokly] did not take it and demanded it all at once,” Mr. Sak said.
“The suspect forcibly said if she did not get the money by 7 a.m. on Saturday, she would bring the girl to Phnom Penh and cut out her kidneys to sell.”
She is being held at the provincial police headquarters in Kompong Speu and will be sent to court today, Mr. Sak said.
