A man was arrested on Tuesday in Tbong Khmum province’s Ponhea Krek district for allegedly raping a young child while her mother was at work, police said yesterday.

Chheng San, 49, was arrested just hours after he was accused of raping the 4-year-old daughter of a neighbour, who had been left in his care, according to Am Sophal, deputy police chief in Ponhea Krek district.

“She went to play at [San’s] home while her mother went to farmland nearby,” reported Sophal. “When the mother arrived, she saw the girl crying a lot.

She was suspicious and checked her body.” He added that the mother had recently grown distrustful of her neighbour.

“She asked the daughter to tell her if he was the one who had raped [her],” Sophal said.

After the mother discovered the extent of her daughter’s injuries and by whom they were inflicted, she filed a report to police.

Police said they have contacted a children’s organisation to provide treatment for the girl, who sustained injuries in the attack.