A Cambodian man murdered two of his daughters and badly beat his pregnant wife before killing himself after he learned she was having a fifth girl.
Youen Nil, a 37-year-old father of four daughters, became distraught when his wife told him their unborn fifth child was also a girl, said Ou Em, the police chief of Siem Reap province, 300km north of the capital Phnom Penh.
"He first beat the mother, who ran, and then slit the throats of his three- and four-year-old before killing himself," Ou Em said.
"The family was very poor and Nil was disappointed he was not having a son. Two other daughters were staying with their grandmother at the time or he would have killed them too."
As in many cultures, in Cambodia sons are traditionally more highly valued because it is believed they can look after their parents in old age and take over the family business.
Police said the incident occurred on Thursday.
© 2008 AAP
Youen Nil, a 37-year-old father of four daughters, became distraught when his wife told him their unborn fifth child was also a girl, said Ou Em, the police chief of Siem Reap province, 300km north of the capital Phnom Penh.
"He first beat the mother, who ran, and then slit the throats of his three- and four-year-old before killing himself," Ou Em said.
"The family was very poor and Nil was disappointed he was not having a son. Two other daughters were staying with their grandmother at the time or he would have killed them too."
As in many cultures, in Cambodia sons are traditionally more highly valued because it is believed they can look after their parents in old age and take over the family business.
Police said the incident occurred on Thursday.
© 2008 AAP
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