Aunt kills 5-year-old niece in Pontevedra

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A five-year-old girl was found dead in a swamp area in Pontevedra, Negros Occidental Wednesday night, after she was allegedly killed by her relative.

Police Captain Rhojn Darell Nigos, town police chief, said the victim (name withheld) was last seen by her family around 2 p.m. after she tagged along with her 27-year-old aunt to a swamp that day.

Only the aunt returned home.

The family searched for the child and even asked the assistance of the authorities until she was found by some village watchmen and police around 9 p.m.

Nigos said the victim suffered scratches and other injuries, and her underwear was inserted in her genital.

Based on the autopsy result, the child died of choking and drowning.

Nigos said they invited three persons, including the child’s aunt to the police station for interrogation early the following day.

“These persons were the last persons seen with the child before the incident happened,” he added.

Nigos said that the child’s aunt who is the younger sister of the victim’s mother confessed that she killed her niece when they met at the police station.

Nigos said that the suspect, whose name was withheld, admitted to her elder sister that she choked her niece while the child’s head was soaked in the water.

“She (suspect) also told her sister that she decided to insert the underwear to her niece’s genital part to mislead the investigation,” he added.

“Nagawa niya daw yun kasi lagi siyang inaaway ng bata at agad sinusumbong sa nanay niya. Ang suspect naman napapagalitan palagi nung nanay ng bata kaya galit siya sa kapatid at pamangkin niya. Parang revenge yung nangyari on her part,” the town police chief said.

He said that the suspect and the child are living in the same house.

Nigos cannot tell if the suspect really planned the commission of the crime that day.

Meanwhile, Police Master Sergeant Jenne Emborniza, head of Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) in the town, said that murder charges in relation to violation of Republic Act 7610 or the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act” will be filed against the suspect who is now under police custody.