Suspects held over ‘left-behind children’ killings in southern China: report
Relatives murdered brother and sister after sexually assaulting the girl, according to newspaper report
Two suspects have been detained over the murders this week of two "left-behind children" in southern Guizhou province, with mainland media reporting that one of the victims was sexually assaulted before her death.
The suspects were relatives of the brother and sister, aged 12 and 15, who were found dead with stabs wounds in their home in a village near Bijie , Beijing Youth Daily reported yesterday, citing the victims' uncles.
The case has drawn wide attention as the siblings are the latest "left-behind children" to die in the impoverished province. "Left-behind children" are the offspring of migrant workers who are left to fend for themselves after their parents head to work in distant cities.
The suspects, aged 17 and 20, allegedly killed the children as they feared their attack on the girl would be discovered, the report said.
The pair were detained on Wednesday and taken to the victims' home on Thursday to reconstruct the crime scene, it said.
The girl was also sexually assaulted by a 60-year-old neighbour last year, according to the newspaper. The man later paid the family 30,000 yuan (HK$37,400) - a large sum in the underdeveloped village - to settle the case, the report said.
Neither the Nayong county publicity department nor its public security bureau were available for comment.