A man raped, tortured and murdered a 13-month-old baby girl he snatched from her parent's hotel room before dumping her lifeless body in a water tank. The parents of the unnamed child woke to find their daughter missing from their hotel room in the city of Florencia in the southern Colombian department of Caqueta.

 

They launched a desperate search for the baby and her tiny body was found shoved inside one of the hotel's water tanks. A man has been arrested by local police who refused to release his identity.

Police believe she was kidnapped, raped and killed by another guest staying at the El Bostezo hotel. Hotel owner Jose Hernandez admitted the security guard in charge of the area had fallen asleep on duty. Police have sent the baby's body for an autopsy and Javier Navarro, head of police in Caqueta, said an arrest had been made but the investigation was still ongoing.

 

Officers needed more time to investigate and collect evidence, he said. Police are withholding the name of the suspect, as well as that of the little girl and her parents - who are now receiving counselling.

 

Psychologist Karen Abudinen said: 'It is a harrowing situation that the young mother is going through, that is why we are not going to leave her for a single moment while she tries to come to terms with it.'

 

The girl's family were stopping at the hotel on their way from the neighbouring department of Huila to the city of San Vicente del Caugan in Caqueta.

By Alex Green | Mailonline