Girl, 9, Raped And Set On Fire In Cape Town

A 9-year-old girl was raped, set on fire and left for dead over the weekend in Cape Town, South Africa, according to the Cape Times.

The young girl was reportedly walking from her mother's home to her father's house Saturday evening when she was sexually assaulted. She was found alive in a bush along a freeway the next morning, and taken to a local hospital for treatment of severe burns.

Fortunately, the young girl was able to identify her assailant.

A 27-year-old suspect, who was seen with a charred T-shirt and blood on his pants, was detained by community members this week until police arrived. After news spread in the Delft neighborhood, many gathered outside the property where he was being temporarily held and attempted to break down the doors.

"More then 100 people gathered outside the garage to try to kill the man. People tried to break the doors, swearing at us to give him to them," Priscilla Mcentee, chair of a neighborhood watch program, told the Cape Times.

Authorities were able to intervene and took the suspect into custody. He briefly appeared in court Tuesday, but the case was postponed until next week.

Community members also gathered outside the court to support the family of the young victim.

“What happened over the weekend has upset and disturbed the entire community,” Gadigha Francis, coordinator of Child Rapid Response Unit, told The Post. "We are here to protest against this terrible act and to ensure that the rapist is not granted bail."

The 9-year-old is reportedly in critical but stable condition.