A woman who strangled a five-year-old girl to death for a pair of gold earrings was sentenced to life in prison, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court ruled yesterday.

Sour Kimsao, 21, was convicted of premeditated killing and sentenced to life imprisonment for the crime, which took place on January 27 at Chak Angre Krom commune in the capital’s Meanchey district.

Judge Chaing Sinat said the woman was trying to steal the child’s gold earrings when she killed her.

The girl’s parents reported her missing to the police, but it wasn’t until four days later that distraught villagers found her body in a nearby lake.

Police questioned the girl’s parents and neighbours before arresting Kimsao, who confessed to the killing the same day.

After hearing the vedict, Kimsao screamed loudly outside the courtroom.

She was also ordered to pay 15 million riel to the girl’s parents.

Neither the parents of the victim nor Kimsao’s defence lawyer could be reached for comment yesterday.

To contact the reporter on this story: Lieng Sarith at [email protected]