DAMMAM, 10 May 2004 — The horrific murder of a five-year-old girl here has spread fear in a neighborhood that has been the scene of a string of earlier crimes.
On Saturday, Dammam police recovered the body of the child with multiple stab wounds from King Abdul Aziz Park in Dammam’s Jalawiya area.
Preliminary investigations showed the girl, who police said was an expatriate of Arab origin, had been stabbed at least 40 times. It was unclear whether she had been sexually assaulted.
The crime has baffled police, who launched a massive manhunt after the parents reported the girl missing on Saturday evening and recovered the body four hours after they were notified.
Ali Shehry, a resident of the area, said the killing caused panic among people there. “They are scared to go out after dark,” he said.
Muhammad Sayeed, an Indian, said it was a tragedy for the victim’s family. “I am sure some lunatic was behind the killing. Everyone here is very disturbed,” he said.
Police have intensified patrols in the neighborhood.
