By Jennifer P. Rendon
“Parang binaboy. Kawawa naman ang bata.”
Lieutenant Arniel Buraga, Estancia police chief, could only utter these words after confirming that Ann-Ann, the 7-year-old girl who was found dead evening of December 19, was indeed sexually molested.
In a post-mortem examination conducted by Dr. West Edquilla, medico-legal officer of the Regional Forensic Unit (RFU) 6 based in Bacolod City, the girl suffered at least three deep lacerations in her vagina.
“So, posible talaga na hindi lang isa kundi marami ang gumamit sa kanya,” Buraga said.
The autopsy result also showed that the girl’s cause of death was an injury on her head after she was struck by a hard object. Her skull was fractured and the impact also caused her right eye to swell.
As of press time, Buruga said they have around five persons of interest in the case.
Once they gather enough evidence and testimonies, a case for rape with homicide will be filed against the suspect/s.
Ann-Ann’s body was found inside the concrete perimeter wall of a telecom tower at Barangay Gogo, just 100 meters away from their house.
Her blouse was rolled up exposing parts of her body. Her undergarments were also nowhere to be found.
Her short pants were found a few meters from her body.
The girl suffered a wound on her head, which may have been inflicted using a hard object.
She also suffered a hematoma in her right eye.
According to reports, the girl took a bath at a water pump in an elementary school near their house around 3 p.m. Monday.
She was with her two elder sisters, aged 9 and 10, and two other friends.
An hour later, she decided to go home to change clothes while the four other children stayed.
After changing, she asked P5 from her parents to buy bread.
But she did not return to her sisters and friends to play.
The four initially thought that Ann-Ann stayed home.
When her sisters went home at around 5 pm, their parents got worried after learning she was not with them.
They immediately began looking for the girl.
At around 7 p.m. Monday, Ann-Ann’s family asked help from village officials to look for her.
A 16-year-old neighbor found her body an hour later.
