A 14-year-old girl in Kampot’s Teuk Chhou district has regained consciousness after her attempted rape and murder earlier this month, according to the NGO Child Protection Unit.

A 15-year-old was arrested in the case following a brief standoff at a nearby cave where he had fled after attempting to rape the girl. The teenager, who is in custody awaiting trial, confessed to trying to rape the girl before slashing her with a knife in the neck and thigh, causing life-threatening injuries.

According to police, she is deaf-mute and is mentally handicapped.James McCabe, manager of CPU, said the girl woke up on Saturday and is on her way to recovery.

However, her left arm appears to be paralysed as a result of nerve damage, and it remained unclear if she would ever be able to move it again.

“[Her condition] would be classed as serious but stable at this time,” he said, adding that she was breathing on her own.

The suspect has been charged with attempted rape and violence.