Kampong Cham provincial police are hunting those responsible for a gruesome motorbike theft in which two adults had their throats slashed and a 3-year-old girl was beaten to death on the border of Koh Sotin and Tbong Khmum districts on Wednesday night.

Deputy provincial police chief Chem Senghong said police believe there to be two or three people involved, and while they have suspects in mind, their identities are still secret as the investigation is ongoing.

“The victims’ throats were cut, and we think that the victims and the suspects knew each other, but the suspect has never [previously] killed a victim,” he said.

Koh Sotin district police chief Ma Cheta said that victims Eng Kry, 48, and his wife Dok Chenda, 45, were riding home with their 3-year-old granddaughter from a Buddhist ceremony at Kry’s mother’s home when they were ambushed by attackers hiding in the bushes along the road.

After the suspects stopped the victims, Cheta continued, they dragged them into the bushes and cut their throats, then started beating the granddaughter. The girl died after being sent to Kantha Bopha Hospital.

According to Cheta, Kry appeared to have been attacked in the face with an axe in addition to having his throat cut.

The thieves made off with family’s motorbike and money, but authorities do not know how much was lost.