The Preah Vihear Provincial Court on Thursday charged a man and placed him in pre-trial detention for the aggravated rape of his underage stepdaughter.

Prang Thida, deputy provincial police chief in charge of Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection told The Post on Thursday that Morl Pheareak, 35, was arrested by police on Wednesday in Choam Ksan district’s Anlong Veng village after his wife reported to the police that he had raped her eldest daughter.

The victim’s mother said that when she arrived home from work on Wednesday afternoon, her daughter appeared pale and a there was a pool of blood on her underwear, adding that the girl’s body temperature was very high.

“After listening to the suspect’s admission, Preah Vihear provincial investigating judge Tiv Kimpisal decided to charge him with felony charges of aggravated sexual assault of a minor in accordance to Article 241 of the Criminal Code and put him in pre-trial detention in provincial jail,” she said.

Choam Ksan district police chief O Seng said police officers arrested the suspect shortly after the mother’s call. Police also noted blood in the backyard matching the girl’s account of the rape.

According to Article 241 of the Criminal Code, Pheareak faces seven to 15 years in prison if convicted of the crime.

Physicians continue to forbid officials from seeing the victim due to the seriousness of her condition, Thida said.

“The medical team told us that the victim’s hymen was badly torn causing severe haemorrhaging, leading to her weak state. She needs a lot of rest . . . but will recover soon,” she said.

The victim’s mother told The Post on Thursday that her daughter’s condition had improved slightly under the care of physicians at 16 Makara Provincial Referral Hospital.

“I felt deep sorrow for my daughter when I found out my husband had his way with her. After I listened to her describe everything to me, I called the police to arrest my husband and put him in jail and prevent him from harming my girl anymore,” she said.