BACOLOD CITY — A nine-year-old girl died Monday, November 29, two days after being found wounded in a vacant lot in Barangay Taculing here, where she was allegedly assaulted by a friend of her father.
Police Maj. Leo Estopa, head of Police Station 6, said the victim, whose name was withheld, passed away at Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) here around 2:55 a.m. due to head injuries.
The victim, who went missing last Friday, was located by authorities after the suspect, Sherwin Trava, 32, surrendered to Bago City Police Station last Saturday, about 12 hours after he reportedly left the child in the said village.
Estopa said the suspect went to the child’s house in Barangay Banago here last Friday, as he is a friend of her father.
He then invited the child to go with him to buy bread, but they ended up in Barangay Taculing.
Estopa said the suspect alleged that he got irked when he saw his girlfriend allegedly entering a lodging house, and turned his anger on the child.
Estopa said the victim’s family searched for the child last Friday until they reported her missing on Saturday.
Estopa said the child suffered head injuries.
The suspect alleged that he hit her with a rock three times before he fled.
Trava, in a media interview, initially denied that he sexually molested the child.
But, based on the medical examination, the victim was later confirmed to have been sexually abused, Estopa said.
Trava earlier asked for forgiveness for what happened, but he later refused to comment on the rape allegation.
Estopa said rape with murder charges will be filed against him.