A teenager has admitted to killing and attempting to rape a 4-year-old girl in a village in northern Egypt, local media outlets reported on Sunday.
According to Alarabiya, Hassan S., aged 16, reportedly kidnapped Rodina A. on Saturday, after which he sexually assaulted and murdered her.
The horrid incident has caused a stir in Egypt, with people drawing parallels with the widely-discussed case of Pakistani 8-year-old Zainab Ansari, who was raped and murdered earlier this year.
The victim was reported missing Saturday afternoon; her family and neighbors began searching for her around their village in the Monufia governorate.
When they spotted traces of blood near the house of Hassan S.' father, who was recently released from prison, they asked him about the girl and noted his obvious unease.
They went on to search his house despite his hesitance and found more blood on one bed. Having been pressured into revealing the truth, he admitted to the crime, but his father's role in it remains unclear.
He has admitted to kidnapping the young girl from her house after luring her into his house with his cellphone.
According to Huffpost Arabi, he inappropriately touched her but failed to rape her since she began screaming loudly.
He then struck her on the head with a stone until she lost consciousness and went on to stab her with a knife. Having murdered her, he hid her body in a box he placed in the basement.
The accused may face a life sentence
According to a statement by the president of the governorate's Bar association, Khaled Rashed, Hassan S. has been referred to the juvenile criminal court.
"The accused will not escape punishment, as he is mature and aware of his acts," Rashed said.
Rashed explained that the penalty can reach up to a life sentence with hard labor, noting that the death penalty is not applicable.