In Odesa, a neighbor will be tried for raping and murdering a 7-year-old girl.

According to ТСН: An indictment against a 31-year-old man accused of the rape and murder of a minor, as well as the illegal possession of drugs, has been sent to court in Odesa. The accused is currently in custody without the right to bail, and if found guilty, he faces life imprisonment.

According to the investigation, the horrific event took place in Odesa in June. On the evening of June 18, a seven-year-old girl was riding a scooter near her home. A 31-year-old neighbor approached her, who, according to law enforcement, was under the influence of drugs, and invited the child to come to his home. The girl agreed to his invitation since she had communicated with him several times before and did not feel threatened.

The investigation revealed that after luring the child to his residence, the man raped her and then strangled her. A forensic examination established that the cause of the girl's death was mechanical asphyxia.

"To hide the traces of the crime, the perpetrator wrapped the child's body in plastic in the morning, placed it in a bag, and took it by taxi to a few blocks away from where he lived, where he hid it in a basement near a residential building," police reported.

The child's disappearance was reported at night when the mother contacted law enforcement because her daughter had not returned home from the yard. The following day, June 19, the police found the girl's body showing signs of violent death a few blocks from her home.

During the pre-trial investigation, law enforcement reviewed dozens of hours of surveillance camera footage, interviewed many people, analyzed the gathered information, and meticulously reconstructed the events of that day. The suspect was detained within a few hours after the child's body was discovered.

During the examination of the location where the body was hidden and searches at the suspect's apartment, investigators seized material evidence, including biological samples of both the man and the child, as well as the scooter the deceased had been riding. Cannabis extract, a narcotic substance prohibited in circulation, was also found in the accused's apartment, which, according to the investigation, the man illegally purchased and stored for personal use.

According to the investigator's request, supported by the prosecutor, the court chose a preventive measure of holding the suspect in custody without the possibility of bail.

This tragic event has caused a wide public outcry and highlighted the need to enhance the level of protection for children against violence. The investigation continues, and law enforcement promises to thoroughly investigate this case to ensure justice for the victim.