Mukdahan: The Court of Appeals Region 4 has reduced the prison sentence of “Uncle Phon” to 26 years and dismissed the case against “Aunt Taen” in the tragic 2020 death of 3-year-old “Nong Chompoo.”

According to Thai News Agency, the verdict was delivered at the Mukdahan Provincial Court, where Mr. Chaipol Wipha, known as Uncle Phon, and Mrs. Somporn Hlapothi, known as Aunt Taen, appeared to hear the ruling. The pair had been accused in the death of Nong Chompoo, who vanished from her home in Kok Kok Village, Kok Tum Subdistrict, Dong Luang District, Mukdahan Province, in 2020. Nong Chompoo’s parents, Ms. Phacharamon (Sawitree Wongsiri) and Mr. Ananmai, were also present for the verdict.

The Court of Appeals sentenced Uncle Phon to 26 years in prison for premeditated murder, child abduction without reasonable cause, and concealment of a corpse. The court upheld the previous acquittal of Aunt Taen.

On December 20, 2023, the Court of First Instance had sentenced Mr. Chaipol to 20 years for negligence resulting in death and child abduction without reasonable cause. He was also ordered to pay compensation to the victim’s family. Aunt Taen had been acquitted. Uncle Phon utilized a land title deed in Amnat Charoen Province, valued at 780,000 baht, as collateral in contesting the case.

Forensic evidence played a crucial role in Uncle Phon’s conviction. A single strand of Nong Chompoo’s hair found in Uncle Phon’s car matched the hair at the crime scene. Investigators noted that Nong Chompoo could not have reached the area where her body was found, nor could she have cut her own hair, implying she was taken there.

The case originated on May 11, 2020, when Nong Chompoo disappeared from her home, prompting a search involving over 200 villagers. She was found dead on May 14 on Phu Lek Fai Mountain, about 2 kilometers from her home. Police from Region 4, along with Royal Thai Police investigators, conducted a year-long investigation. Arrest warrants for Mr. Chaipol and Ms. Somporn were issued on June 1, 2021, for their suspected involvement in her death.