Brazilian mob hacks off penis of man accused of raping 3-year-old girl

A 66-year-old ranch worker in Severinia, Brazil lost his penis and three fingers in an attack by an angry mob who believed that he raped a 3-year-old girl. The New York Daily News reported that Francisco de Souza de Castro was attacked on Sunday and that doctors were unable to reattach his fingers or the severed penis.

Brazilian news agency Estadao said that on Sunday, the unnamed 3-year-old girl's mother noticed signs that her daughter had been sexually abused. The girl named Castro as the culprit.

No one has been charged in the vigilante attack on Castro, but authorities believe that relatives of the girl were responsible. Severinia Police Chief Marcelo Pupo said that Castro was conscious during the assault and that police are hopeful he will name his attackers.

Castro was rushed to Santa Casa de Misericordia Hospital in the nearby town of Barretos, where doctors tried to graft the fingers and sex organ back on, but were unsuccessful.

Pupo also said that the results of forensics tests conducted on Castro's alleged victim are still pending. It did appear, he said, that the little girl was raped.

[image of bloody knife via Shutterstock.com]