Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced a purported drug addict to 15 years in prison yesterday for murdering a 7-year-old boy last year during a burglary and dumping his body in the Mekong River.

Presiding judge Ly Lipmeng also ordered defendant Hum Rom, 26, to pay 10 million riel ($2,500) in compensation to the victim’s family.

“The court sentences him to 15 years on charges of intentional murder with aggravating circumstances,” he said.

Veng Chak, Russey Keo district’s Chroy Changvar commune police chief, said that Rom, a drug user, had broken into the victim’s home last November while his parents were at work. He was stealing the family’s valuables when the young boy tried to stop him.

Rom then beat the boy unconscious and threw his body in the Mekong before fleeing. The body was found floating in the river a day later, and Rom was arrested the day after that.

Rom could not be reached for comment yesterday.