Series of young girls’ deaths alarms Bontoc folks: Another woman found dead along Chico River

By Gina Dizon

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Another young woman was found dead along the banks of the Chico River at Barangay Caluttit here last week -- the third in a series of violent deaths of young women in this capital town. 

Police identified the latest victim as Florencia C.Malecchan Kayohan, 22, single parent of a four-year-old boy. She was found sprawled lifeless along the river bank morning of Jan. 3.

Malecchan,who worked as storekeeper to support her son, bore puncture wounds  on her head and neck, a police report said. 

Police are investigating cause of the victim’s death. 

An autopsy is underway to determine whether foul play was involved in her death.

Sources said villagers living nearby heard a woman’s screams from the river around 10 p.m. of Jan. 2. 

The victim lives some 300 meters at Lower Caluttit from the site where she was found.

She is a member of the women's brigade of the same barangay, group which roams the town center’s  establishments at night to discourage minors from drinking liquor and make them go home. 

Florencia is the third victim among  three violent deaths of  girls the past six  months in this capital town.

Other victims were Sarah Becyagen, 22 who was found dead Sept. 11 last year  along the way going to Samoki village,  and a 15 year old girl found bloody and stabbed in the toilet of a coffee shop last July 20.