By: KER MUNTHIT
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - A woman who disappeared in the jungles of northeastern Cambodia as a child has apparently been found after living in the wild for 19 years, police said Thursday.
The woman - believed to be Rochom P'ngieng, now 27 years old - cannot speak any intelligible language, so details of her saga have been difficult to confirm. "She is like half-human and half-animal," said Mao San, police chief of Oyadao district in Rattanakiri province. "She's weird. She sleeps during the day and stays up at night."
The father of Rochom P'ngieng, a member of the Pnong ethnic minority, said he recognized his daughter by a scar on her back and her facial features, according to Mao San. The father is a village policeman named Sal Lou.
Rochom P'ngieng, then eight years old, disappeared one day in 1988 when she was herding buffalo in a remote northeastern jungle area, said Chea Bunthoeun, a deputy provincial police chief.
She was discovered this month after a villager noticed that food disappeared from a lunch box he left at a site near his farm.
"He decided to stake out the area and then spotted a naked human being, who looked like a jungle person, sneaking in to steal his rice," said Chea Bunthoeun.
The villager gathered some friends and the group managed to catch the woman on Jan. 13.
"Her parents had already lost hope of finding her since she went missing for so many years. The father cried and hugged her when he met his daughter," Chea Bunthoeun said.
Since being found, the woman has had difficulty adjusting to normal life, apparently because of her long stay in the wild, said Mao San.
Authorities want medical experts to take DNA samples from the parents and the woman to see if they match. The woman's parents have given verbal consent for such a test, he said.
The woman - believed to be Rochom P'ngieng, now 27 years old - cannot speak any intelligible language, so details of her saga have been difficult to confirm. "She is like half-human and half-animal," said Mao San, police chief of Oyadao district in Rattanakiri province. "She's weird. She sleeps during the day and stays up at night."
The father of Rochom P'ngieng, a member of the Pnong ethnic minority, said he recognized his daughter by a scar on her back and her facial features, according to Mao San. The father is a village policeman named Sal Lou.
Rochom P'ngieng, then eight years old, disappeared one day in 1988 when she was herding buffalo in a remote northeastern jungle area, said Chea Bunthoeun, a deputy provincial police chief.
She was discovered this month after a villager noticed that food disappeared from a lunch box he left at a site near his farm.
"He decided to stake out the area and then spotted a naked human being, who looked like a jungle person, sneaking in to steal his rice," said Chea Bunthoeun.
The villager gathered some friends and the group managed to catch the woman on Jan. 13.
"Her parents had already lost hope of finding her since she went missing for so many years. The father cried and hugged her when he met his daughter," Chea Bunthoeun said.
Since being found, the woman has had difficulty adjusting to normal life, apparently because of her long stay in the wild, said Mao San.
Authorities want medical experts to take DNA samples from the parents and the woman to see if they match. The woman's parents have given verbal consent for such a test, he said.
12 comments:
I used to see a movie that explicited about a boy were raised and cared for by animals i.e Tarzian. This news is real. how did she feed herself and sleep, and stay safe all those years. She must have been terrified. If there was going to be published her life. I'm very much want to hear more in detail.
The police official is a harsh to describe her as "She is like half-human and half-animal". She is not an animal. She is just a human being lost in the woods. Please know the difference!
In Science, humans are animals. But yes its wrong to describe her like that. She's just got lost and had to survive in the woods. Imagine an 8 year old girl all alone in the jungle for 20 something years, just terrifying.
Post 10:08, don't take the english
translation so seriously. Some
words is well accepted in Cambodia
and not accepted in the West.
Moreover, it is difficult to
translate Khmer or other Asian
language to English or European
without some lost.
In this case, it is true that she's
a human being, but what type, wild,
domesticated, uncivilized, ...? You
tell us, okay?
2:04am
If you know what I meant you would not have to justify it. It's only me you more stupid. My concern is to give her with respect. That's all. No further comment necessary. When people read English they will take it as it is in English; not in Khmer. They could have used the word "wild"; half animal-half human? No hard feelings!
Yeah, but why are you blaming it
on the khmer officers. You should
blaming it on the reporters and
translators or editors. After
all, it is the media materials,
isn't it? Police don't publishs
the new.
Hey dude! First of all there was no need of your comment. I was only feeling bad for the woman after 19 lost in the woods and now being called a half animal half human. I don't know and you don't know the police official said it or the journalist made an error translated it. The point is that it not a big deal and you don't have to defend it. It's only making more fool out of it. There are other serious things to worry about.
No, I have to defend khmer
policemen and all other civil
servants because they work hard
to protect khmer people.
The truth is I am not bashing you,
but just pointing out the problem.
If we are not sure of something,
let us not defame anyone. I am sure
you would want to be treated the
same way if you were that officer
shoes, right?
It is not a blame it is a suggestion, because Mr. Mao San said "She is like half-human and half-animal,"
From looking at the picture she is human not animal, bu she may be acting weird but not half animal.
Okay, sorry if I misjudged you.
It is rather hard to tell sometime.
I hope you understand that.
news without picture is 'basbang' alias like vegetable that had been fusty.
they need to research more into this woman life, how did she manage to live alone all these years. I think someone need to study her and should make a movie out of this true story. It's so interestings.
Post a Comment