A seven-year-old girl in General Santos City was found dead three days after she was reported missing on Sunday, March 10, 2024.

Police said the victim was found lifeless inside a sack at a vacant lot in Barangay Conel on Wednesday, March 13. She was naked, which made investigators suspect she might have been raped before getting killed.

“Sinakal dito ng t-shirt na we believe na isa sa cause of death niya is asphyxia. The thing is yung binuksan yung sako, walang damit, hubo’t-hubad yung biktima so it is an indication nan a-rape siya,” Police Station 9 Chief, Major Robert Fores, said.

Neighbors of the victim were the ones who found the sack.

"Naa mi nakita nga sako. Una nga sako nga amoang nakita is basura. Ikaduha, naay sako sa suok amoang gilili,” Madelyn Tagalog, a neighbor of the girl, said. 

“Nakit-an nako tong short. Pag-abot sa lola, gipatan-aw nako sa iyaha katong short kung kay Arian ba, kay Arian gyud daw maam,” another neighbor said.

Authorities initially considered the victim’s father, uncle, and neighbor as persons of interest (POI) but decided to exclude the father and uncle in the investigation because evidence showed they were not in the area when the crime was committed. 

Her father allegedly molested the girl two years ago but was found to have left the area a long time ago. Meanwhile, witnesses have attesed that the uncle was was with someone when the victim was last seen alive. 

Investigation is now focusing on the 74-year-old neighbor who was last seen with the victim afternoon on the day she went missing. A witness reportedly saw the girl getting inside a compound where the man lives. Two blood-stained shirts and two knives were found outside the man’s house.

As of this writing, police are awaiting the issuance of a warrant against the man. 

“Tumugma itong mga circumstancial and testimonial nitong ating eye witness. Yung dalawang t-shirt na may blood stain at tsaka yung dalawang knife, I already requested for the DNA analysis examination and we are looking forward na magkaroon ng positive result that would also help us in filing solid case against the POI na ngayon ay naging suspek na natin sa paggahasa at pagpatay,” Fores said.