Missing Sittwe girl dies of injuries sustained in apparent beating, possible rape

By Admin 17 Mar 2023

DMG Newsroom
17 March 2023, Sittwe

A 12-year-old girl from the Arakan State capital Sittwe, who went missing on March 15 and was found the following day unconscious with serious head injuries, died on Friday at a local hospital.

The girl went missing on Wednesday night, and was found naked and unconscious with injuries near the railroad in the same ward where she lived on Thursday morning.

“Her mother left her alone at their house when she went out to buy medicine at around 10 p.m. on Wednesday,” said a relative. “She was missing when her mother arrived back. But the mother did not look for her, thinking that she had gone to sleep at a relative’s house as usual. The next morning, the mother was told by fellow residents that her daughter was found with injuries. Her head was badly injured.”

Her body was also badly bruised, according to relatives. The girl was sent to Sittwe Hospital, but died of her injuries on Friday afternoon, according to the chairwoman of the Rakhine Women’s Network.

“I had a talk with the police investigator. He said he could confirm that the girl was raped,” said Daw Nyo Aye, the organisation’ chairwoman. “The sexual assault forensic exam can’t be done here, and some tests had to be conducted in places like Yangon or Naypyidaw, I have learnt.”

The regime has arrested two teenage boys who are neighbours of the girl in connection with her death, according to Rakhine Women’s Network.

“The victim girl and the boys are neighbours. Police arrested the two from their houses. The parents of the girl also suspect the two,” Daw Nyo Aye told DMG.

DMG was unable to reach No. 1 police station for comment.

The United League of Arakan, the political wing of the Arakan Army (AA), has also reportedly arrested suspects. DMG was unable to reach AA spokesman U Khaing Thukha for comment at the time of reporting.