By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — A quiet mountain community was shaken after police identified two minors, aged 12 and 8, as persons of interest in the tragic death of a three-year-old girl who was reported missing over the weekend in Natonin, Mountain Province.
Authorities from the Mountain Province Police Provincial Office confirmed that the two children are now being investigated in connection with the case, but withheld further details to comply with Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, which protects the identities of minors involved in criminal investigations.
According to investigators, the victim disappeared on Saturday afternoon after accompanying her grandmother to a barangay gathering at Banawel Elementary School in Sitio Batnong, Barangay Banawel.
The child’s sudden disappearance triggered an overnight search operation involving police officers, relatives, and residents desperately combing the area for clues.
The search ended in tragedy on Sunday morning after the young girl was found unconscious near a chapel in the village.
She was rushed to a hospital in the town proper but was later declared dead after suffering severe traumatic brain injuries.
Police have yet to disclose the possible motive behind the incident as investigators continue gathering evidence and conducting follow-up operations.
The shocking case has left residents stunned, with many demanding justice for the young victim while authorities work to uncover the full circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
ia/xf
