A 13-year-old girl was found dead in a sugarcane field in Candoni, Negros Occidental, Monday night, April 27.
Police said the victim, Rica Grace Simple, a resident of Barangay Haba, was discovered at around 8:20 p.m. in Brgy. Poblacion West with a head injury.
Initial investigation by Candoni Municipal Police Station showed the victim was last seen at around 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, after being sent by her mother to buy ice at a nearby store but failed to return home.
Her family initially believed she went to visit friends, but a search was conducted after she remained missing.
Authorities said the body was later found by a minor and his companions inside a sugarcane field.
The victim was brought to the Candoni Rural Health Unit for post-mortem examination, while the Provincial Forensic Unit was requested to conduct an autopsy.
Police said no evidence or weapon was recovered at the scene, raising the possibility that the crime may have been committed elsewhere and the body was only dumped in the area.
Candoni police chief Police Capt. Leonel Adolacion said authorities are gathering evidence, reviewing CCTV footage, and locating possible witnesses.
He added that investigators are looking into several angles, including a possible grudge against the victim’s family, but stressed that this has yet to be confirmed.
Police are awaiting the autopsy results to determine the exact cause of death.
Candoni Mayor Ray Ruiz, in a statement Tuesday said “We are deeply saddened and outraged by the tragic death of 13-year-old Rica Grace Simple”.
“This is not merely the loss of a life, it is the unjust loss of a future filled with promise,” Ruiz said.
“I strongly condemn this brutal act. The loss of a child is a pain no family and no community should ever bear. Justice will be served. We are committed to ensuring those responsible are held fully answerable under the law”, he said.
To support her family, Ruiz said his office has facilitated the delivery of immediate financial and welfare assistance.
He has also directed the Candoni Municipal Police Station to conduct a thorough and urgent investigation.
“We are currently awaiting autopsy results to establish the facts and guide our next legal steps,” he said.
The mayor appealed to the public to remain calm.
“Please refrain from spreading unverified information on social media, out of respect for the grieving family and to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation,” he said.
Anyone with relevant information is urged to coordinate with authorities immediately, he added.*
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