Police in Kandal province said they were searching on Thursday for a 23-year-old fisherman accused of grabbing an 8-year-old girl he found running along the Mekong River bank and raping her in nearby bushes.
The girl had come to the riverside in Sa’ang district with her aunt and uncle on Wednesday afternoon and was raped when her relatives left her alone, deputy district police chief Say Saravon said.
The suspect, identified as Los Man, immediately fled the scene and the girl’s relatives, who live in Koh Thom district, filed a complaint with the police about three hours later, he said.
According to Mr. Saravon, the girl’s aunt and uncle, who are also fishermen, came to Sa’ang to fish from the river.
The girl’s parents migrated to Thailand and left her in their care, Mr. Saravon said.
The girl was taken to the district health center on Thursday for an examination, and she did not appear to have serious physical injuries, he said.
