A seven-year-old girl, who was rescued with her throat slit in a remote forest in Sitakunda, has passed away.
She breathed her last at around 5:00 AM on Tuesday (March 3) while undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH).
The child was found bleeding profusely on Sunday morning (March 1) in a rugged hilly area of the Sitakunda Botanical Garden and Eco Park.
Medical Battle and Cause of Death
The victim's uncle informed the media that her condition deteriorated rapidly around 4:30 AM, leading doctors to move her to the ICU. Despite surgery and emergency interventions, she was declared dead shortly after.
Hospital sources confirmed that the child sustained deep lacerations to her throat and hands. The injury to her throat was so severe that it damaged her windpipe, leaving her unable to speak from the moment she was found.
Brigadier General Mohammad Taslim Uddin, Director of CMCH, previously stated that forensic examinations were conducted after doctors found preliminary evidence of sexual violence.
The Rescue: A Chilling Discovery
According to police and witnesses, the discovery was made on Sunday afternoon during road repair work about five kilometers deep into the Eco Park.
An excavator operator spotted the blood-stained child staggering out of the forest toward the road.
Workers rushed to her aid, using cloth to apply pressure to her neck to stop the bleeding.
She was initially rushed to the Sitakunda Upazila Health Complex by truck before being transferred to CMCH for advanced care.
The site of the attack was a desolate mountain path approximately 500 meters north of the Sahasradhara Waterfall.
Before losing consciousness, the child reportedly used gestures to indicate that she could identify her attacker if she saw them again.
Investigation Underway
The victim hailed from the Masjidda (Masterpara) area of Kumira Union, which is approximately 14 kilometers away from where she was discovered.
Police are investigating how such a young child reached the depths of the Eco Park and whether she was abducted or targeted in a premeditated attack.
Sitakunda Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohinul Islam termed the incident "extremely brutal and alarming." He stated:
A case was filed by the victim’s mother on Sunday night. As of now, no clear leads have emerged, leaving the local community in a state of shock and mourning. Residents are demanding the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the perpetrators.
