Story By:  Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency:  Newsflash

An evil stepdad raped a seven-year-old girl before slitting her throat and hacking off her brother’s fingers in revenge for being jilted by their mum.

Military Police of Santa Catarina – a state in southern Brazil – said the horrific crimes took place in the coastal city of Itajai on the night of Monday, 30th May.

Police identified the suspect as the girl’s 41-year-old stepfather Marciel Medeiros.

The girl died later in hospital.

Medeiros was shot dead hours later in a stand-off with officers from the Municipal Guard.

Investigators say Medeiros raped his stepdaughter before cutting her throat and they believe he did it out of spite after being jilted by her 39-year-old mother.

The girl – named in reports as Antonella – was taken to a local Emergency Care Unit but died of her injuries.

She would have turned eight this month (June).

Police said Medeiros also cut her 16-year-old brother’s fingers off with the same knife as part of his sick spree.

The municipal government of Itajai reported that the suspect had been an employee of the Municipal Health Department since 2007.

The authorities said he lashed out at an officer from the Municipal Guard with a knife during his attempted arrest and was shot dead.

The Civil Police (Brazil’s investigative police force) will investigate the case.