Suspect in case of girl missing for 13 years withdraws confession
Xiao Yan's parents hold her "missing person" notice. They have been searching for her for 13 years.
A suspect went on trial in a court in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province on January 25 charged with raping and killing a 10-year-old girl 13 years ago.
Prosecutors allege that the suspect, surnamed Zhou, took Xiao Yan (a pseudonym) by force and sexually assaulted her.
Zhou is said to have admitted in police custody earlier that after Xiao was raped and killed, he cut up her body with an axe and burned it.
However, during the January 25 trial Zhou withdrew his confession, saying he did follow Xiao that day and had the intention of violating her, but in the end did not commit rape and there was no cutting up or burning of her body.
No verdict has yet been issued in the case.
People familiar with the matter said that because Zhou's defense seeks to plead not guilty, the case may be heard later.
A bike shed where Zhou allegedly raped Xiao Yan.
On January 7, 2011, during the winter vacation, Xiao had gone to a remedial class in her community.
When she didn't return at the usual time, her father went to look for her but only found her schoolbag and hat in the corridor.
Friends were quickly mobilized to search, while police were contacted.
Police issued a reward notice stating that Xiao had been violently abducted in the corridor. They offered 30,000 yuan to anyone who could help solve the case.
According to thepaper.cn, Xiao's parents had kept searching for her and had never given up hope for 13 years.
Zhou was arrested by local police in January, 2023.
A reward notice issued by the local police following Xiao's disappearance.
