KOTA KINABALU: A 14-year-old girl died after she allegedly fought off a neighbour's attempt to rape her at a bamboo farm in Pulau Gaya, Semporna.

The victim, identified as Armalin Julmin who is believed to be a foreigner, died after suffering severe blood loss from two head injuries – believed to have been caused from being hit with a hard object – in an attack at 2.30pm Wednesday (Nov 28).

Armalin's family members found her in a semi-conscious state and rushed her to a nearby hospital on the mainland at about 6pm on Wednesday, where she was treated for two heads wounds measuring 13cm and 12cm.

Doctors treated the girl and she was allowed to go back to her home at Pulau Pondohan Patir, where she died at 11.30pm the same day.

Confirming the incident, Semporna police chief Supt Peter Umbas said Saturday (Dec 1) that they had arrested a 29-year-old suspect, a neighbour. Two others, the victim's father and an aunt, have been detained to facilitate murder investigations.

Supt Umbas said that the 29-year-old suspect turned up at the Semporna police station at 1.45pm on Thursday (Nov 29) after he was accused of killing Armalin.

The suspect claimed that he was in his house when some neighbours came over, seeking assistance to find Armalin who was missing.

After an hour's search, they found a bleeding Armali semi-conscious near a bamboo tree about 100m from her house.

Supt Umbas said that the victim told family members that she had been beaten by the suspect.

He said a team was sent to the area where they recovered a parang and a broken stick that was possibly used in the attack.

"We are questioning the relatives and the suspect to ascertain what actually happened," he added.