A man was arrested on Friday for the death of a five-year-old child in Kampong Cham last year after the girl supposedly insulted him.

The alleged murder, which took place in February last year, happened in Kien Chrey commune, Kampong Cham provincial deputy police chief Heng Vuthy told The Post on Sunday. The suspect is Touchuthorit Nalik, 19.

The arrest came after an investigation by the Child Protective Unit (CPU), the ministry of interior and Kampong Cham police officers.

“On February 11, last year, a girl died from drowning. Police checked the body and there were no noticeable bruises. Police also investigated but there was nothing of interest. Therefore, it was assumed that she died from drowning,” Vuthy said.

He said the victim’s relatives requested that the police investigate the case again. The suspect confessed to the police that he killed the girl because she called him “gay”.

Vuthy said the suspect and the victim lived in the same commune and used to have fun with each other as normal.

“The suspect always teased the little girl in a fun way and she called the suspect “gay”. He was very angry. On the day of the incident, there was a celebration in the village.

“The suspect saw a chance to take revenge as it was quiet. He covered the girl’s mouth and pushed her into the pond behind her house,” Vuthy said. She was found the next day.

CPU service chief Som Vathana said on Sunday that after questioning and investigating Nalik, he was detained by Kampong Siem district police.

She said there was good cooperation among all institutions and the case serves as a reminder that there is no crime that cannot be punished sooner or later.

“We are delighted to provide justice to the victim’s family. This is not a drowning case but murder,” she said.