A teenage relative was arrested on suspicion of murdering his 12 year old niece-in-law in Bueng Kan province yesterday, 24 June. He claimed that he could not remember what had happened that night.
The 31 year old Thai mother, Phetcharee, went into a forest near her community to search for mushrooms when she found the dead body of a girl.
Initially, she did not recognise the body as that of her daughter, 12 year old Mook, but upon closer inspection with other locals in the area, she realised it was Mook. According to evidence found at the scene, it is thought that the suspect raped and murdered the young girl.
Phetcharee’s 27 year old husband and the girl’s stepfather, Nirun, told officers from Seka Police Station that he knew only that Mook had left the family home with her 15 year old uncle-in-law Earth at around 8pm on June 23.
Phetcharee’s younger sister, 22 year old Wasinee, who is married to Earth, told the police and media that Mook had asked her to drive her to a friend’s house, but she was busy looking after her child. She therefore asked her husband to drive Mook to the scene instead.
Wasinee insisted that Earth could not have committed the crime because he returned home shortly afterwards. On that day, Earth told her that a friend of Mook’s would bring her back home. She added that Earth did not take drugs, smoke or drink alcohol.
However, Earth was not at home when Mook’s body was found. Wasinee stated that he had travelled to help a friend who was working on a plantation in another province.
To gain a clearer picture of the case, officers have summoned Earth for questioning today, June 25. Earth denied raping or killing his niece.
However, he admitted that he had taken Mook into the forest and removed her sweatpants before noticing the presence of another man at the scene. He could not remember what happened next.
Officers have not yet issued any punishment against Earth as they are waiting for the results of further investigations and specialist questioning, as he is a minor.
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