Story By: Simon Glover, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

Video Credit: AsiaWire

This is the moment crocodiles fight over the skull of a two-year-old girl who was killed when she fell into their enclosure after wandering away from her parents at a crocodile farm.

Rom Roath Neary’s father climbed into the enclosure to retrieve the skull which was all that remained of his daughter after the distressing incident in the city of Siem Reap, the capital of north-western Cambodia’s Siem Reap Province.

The little girl is believed to have fallen in after wandering off alone at the family’s crocodile farm and climbing through a gap in a fence around the enclosure. 

Pictures Credit: AsiaWire

She had been left with her mother who had recently given birth and who was later photographed crying inconsolably while clutching her daughter’s badly damaged skull.

Captain Chem Chamnan, the city’s deputy police chief, confirmed: “Her father found only her skull in the crocodile enclosure, where she was killed by crocodiles.” 

Local policeman Lieutenant Och Sophen said the toddler’s mother had lost track of Rom as she had been busy looking after her newborn baby girl.

Rom’s father returned home later, realised his daughter was missing and started looking for her before discovering the horrific truth.

Lt Sophen said: “He found a skull in the crocodile enclosure. He confirmed the daughter fell into the crocodile enclosure and that the crocodiles killed her, leaving only her skull.”

Rom’s parents, whose names have not been released, had built a fence around the crocodile pit but the little girl had been able to climb through a gap in the barrier.

Police have launched an investigation into the tragedy. They also issued a warning to families with crocodile farms to keep a close eye on their children at all times.

The shocking video, shot by an eyewitness, of crocodiles fighting over Rom’s remains and her father entering the enclosure to retrieve her skull has been shared on Facebook and video-sharing platforms.

Shocked online commentators have been paying their respects including netizen ‘Inn Ravine’ who said: “I’m so scared I daren’t watch it. I’m so sorry for the girl” and ‘Da Da’ who added: “This is horrific, my god, RIP.”

There are many crocodile farms in Cambodia, especially in Siem Reap province, which breed crocodiles for their leather.

The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.

Metro – The Sun – DailyStar – Mirror – DailyMail – Yahoo News AU – Yahoo News