Authorities questioned a policeman yesterday in connection with Monday’s brutal murder of a young mother outside a Phnom Penh hospital clinic.

Thoang Makara, aged 23, was gunned down on Monday morning while taking her newborn baby to receive vaccinations at a health centre in the capital’s Dangkor district. The gunman – who authorities said had waited nearly an hour for her to leave – fired at her three times at close range, killing her instantly.

Police initially suspected that the crime might be connected with a love triangle involving Thoang Makara’s husband, who is now living in New Zealand with his first wife.  His first wife’s younger brother, a policeman currently living in Cambodia, was brought in for questioning yesterday by authorities, said a district policeman who asked not to be identified.

Phnom Penh deputy police chief Pul Phithey declined to give specifics about the interrogation. “We are just aiming to gather information related to the case,” he said.

Police chief for Dangkor communed Lut Khim said that his force was working hard to solve the case. “I hope the murderers will be found,” he said.

Dangkor district police chief Born Sam Arth declined to comment on the case because it was an ongoing investigation. The body of the young mother was cremated on Monday evening at Russey Sanh pagoda.