Thai girl, 7, killed by stepsister, 13, over phone use, uncle helps hide body to avoid suspicion

A seven-year-old girl was suffocated to death in a fight with her 13-year-old stepsister over the use of a mobile phone in Kanchanaburi, Thailand.

The incident took place on the afternoon of May 30 at their house in the Sangkhla Buri district, Bangkok Post and Thai PBS reported.

Quarreled

According to local police, the deceased, identified as Nong Agnoon, and the 13-year-old, identified as Kanda, had the same biological mother but different fathers.

Their mother claimed that the girls quarrelled frequently and often fought over the use of the mobile phone.

Confessed

Kanda and her 17-year-old uncle, identified as Pae, reportedly confessed to their involvement in Nong’s death.

The pair told investigators that they were at home with Nong and were apparently playing together.

The police said the uncle was at the scene, but did not take part in the murder.

Kanda allegedly placed a fertiliser sack over her head and pretended to strangle her.

However, Nong became unresponsive when the sack was removed, and they eventually found that she had already died.

The pair panicked and placed the lifeless Nong in a wardrobe.

At about 3pm, Pae took Nong’s body to a rubber plantation about 600 metres from the house and left her there.

Nong was reported missing on the same day.

Found

A latex collector subsequently discovered Nong’s body on Jun. 1 in a bamboo grove in the rubber plantation.

A sack used to carry her body was burnt nearby.

According to local police, there were bruises on the girl's neck, indicating strangulation.

Signs of physical assault on the body were present, including two wounds to her chin.

Her face appeared to have been hit with a hard object.

The Post reported that there were initial signs of sexual assault.

Three monks and a driver at a temple 700 metres from where Nong was found were questioned as part of the investigation.

The girls’ mother was also left in shock by the investigators’ revelations, and mental healthcare staff would counsel her.

The police told Matichon that they would question the two suspects further, as they do not believe they acted alone, and suspect someone might have assisted them in moving the body.