A 12-year-old girl died after the can she picked up, believed to contain a grenade, exploded in Barangay Labangal, General Santos City.

According to the family and neighbors, they heard a loud blast at the back of the victim’s house and found her lifeless lying on a hammock.

“Naay nikalit og buto. Paggawas namu, ang diri ang aso puti niana na…,” a neighbor, Mengmeng Gonzales, said.

The victim sustained severe injuries.

“Naa siya sa duyan, ang duha niya nga kamot wala na, then dira a ang pinakadako nga samad, diri niya,” victim’s sister, Angelica Malid, added.

The victim’s elder sibling said the victim had found the can at a grassy area nearby and warned others not to touch it.

However, when the victim reportedly walked toward the hammock carrying the can, that was when the explosion occurred.

Police said the can may have contained a grenade.

“Ana siya nga dili lang mo manghilabot sa gamit nako… Didtu man siya gikan sa kasagbutan bale seguro nakit an niya abi niya dulaan lang…naa granada diay mao tung nibuto sa iyaha,” Malid said.

“Katu ang gikuan sa atung EOD kay duna silay nakita nga shrapnel nga parte sa granada didto sa area mismo, ug duna pud nakita nga gunting dito,” Police Station 2 Deputy Commander, Capt. Jamer Nawa, said.

Authorities believe the explosive may have been disposed of improperly by individuals previously involved in a land dispute.

“Diri nga part, which is mostly may land dispute previously pila ka tuig nga milabay,  atung namatikdan nga adunay gubot, mao na seguro na ila na lang seguro kay nahadlok na sila, pero dili lang proper ang dispose sa ilang iligal nga butang,” Nawa added.

Police also received reports that a rifle grenade was discovered in another area last month.

GMA Regional TV One Mindanao is reaching out to the barangay for a statement, as of this writing.

Investigation into the incident continues.