Police have captured a man who went on the run on March 2 in Battambang province after beating a month-old baby to death with a brick and injuring another child in a frenzied attack after he was accused of molesting their older sibling, officials said.
The man, identified as Hong Pisey by deputy provincial police chief Chet Vanny, was arrested at 11:40 a.m. on Wednesday while he was having lunch at a house where he had been hiding in Battambang’s Mong Russei district.
District police chief Kith Heang said about 10 provincial and district police officers were sent to arrest Mr. Pisey at the house in Kear commune.
The 33-year-old reportedly became enraged after being confronted by a mother for attempting to rape her 11-year-old daughter in Santepheap commune. After attacking the mother and girl with a brick, he bashed the baby girl to death, before injuring her 4-year-old brother.
During questioning at the provincial police station, Mr. Pisey confessed to the murder, Mr. Vanny said, adding that Mr. Pisey would be sent to the provincial court to face charges.
James McCabe, director of operations for the Child Protection Unit, a policing charity that has been involved in the case, said Mr. Pisey was believed to have been drunk during the attack.
“He attacked the family because he was disturbed while he was attempting to rape the 11-year-old, who was having a bath,” he said.
All the injured family members have recovered, including the 4-year-old who was released from the hospital on Sunday, Mr. McCabe added.
