NARATHIWAT: A three-year-old girl was found dead and naked not too far from her home in Muang district on Tuesday, two days after she disappeared.
The decaying body of Norasabeena Naekama was spotted lying near a pond by a local resident who was caring for his cattle on Tuesday morning.
The girl went missing on Sunday evening from her home, where she was playing while her father sold snacks.
Amran Naekama, the 30-year-old father, said that a customer arrived in a car to buy snacks for 60 baht.
The customer paid with a 1,000-baht banknote and Mr Amran did not have enough change. He said he went to a nearby shop to change the bill into smaller notes.
When he returned, the customer had left. His first reaction was surprise that the man had not waited for his change.
Minutes later he realised that his daughter was missing, and he reported the disappearance to local police.
Police are investigating the death and waiting for an autopsy report from Naradhiwasrajanagarind Hospital.
