Preah Sihanouk provincial police on Wednesday arrested a woman in connection with the murder of a man earlier this week and the kidnapping of his infant daughter, who was recovered from the woman’s house after her arrest.
On Monday morning in Preah Sihanouk province’s Muoy commune, Phan Hana, a one-month-old baby, was kidnapped after her father was murdered, said commune police chief Lim Suon.
Mr. Suon said that the father, Pin Sophal, 34, was struck in the head with a spade as he cared for the child while his wife, Ung Sreymao, 35, was out withdrawing money to purchase baby formula.
“At about 12 o’clock, when she came back home, her husband was unconscious and her baby was missing,” Mr. Suon said. “The husband was sent to the hospital, but died later of his injuries.”
Mr. Suon said the bloody spade was found near Pin Sophal’s unconscious body, which was discovered just outside his home, a hut on an empty plot of land that he had been tasked with guarding by its owner.
Sarath Vichea, chief of the provincial police’s technical bureau, said that a suspect in the case was arrested Wednesday afternoon at her house in Prey Veng province.
“After investigating, at about 2 p.m today we arrested one suspect who is involved with that case,” he said.
He identified the suspect as Yun Ratha, 24, but would not discuss the nature of her suspected involvement in the case.
“I cannot tell you more details now, because we are still searching for more people who were involved,” he said.
Mr. Suon said that the baby was rescued at the same place as Ms. Ratha was arrested.
“The baby is on the way back to her mother,” he said.
Nget Phoan, chief of the provincial police’s serious crimes bureau, would only confirm that Ms. Ratha had been arrested.
“We are working hard to investigate,” he said. “We are close to breaking the case. We will tell you more once we’re done.”
