Boy found dead inside washing machine 'after being tortured by Jeffrey Dahmer fan uncle'

Prince Gray Mondero had been playing with his cousins at their home in Manila, Philippines but disappeared on Friday afternoon

A missing boy has been found dead inside a washing machine after allegedly being tortured by his uncle "who was a Jeffrey Dahmer fan."

Prince Gray Mondero had been playing with his cousins at their home in Manila, Philippines but disappeared on Friday afternoon. His 15-year-old uncle, Patrick Sucgang, was tasked with watching over the youngster at the time but denied any knowledge of the four-year-olds whereabouts.

The worried family filed a missing persons report with local officials.

Sucgang'sbedroom is allegedly adorned with Nazi swastika symbols. Two days later, Sucgang's mum smelled a foul stench coming from the teenager's room and traced the odour to a disused washing machine covered with cloth and books stacked on top.

She was horrified to open the door of the disused washing machine to find the missing child stuffed inside.

Sucgang was then questioned by police and charged with murder in relation to the Anti-Child Abuse and Exploitation Act. He was later sent to the City Social Welfare and Development Office. However, due to his age, legal proceedings will be suspended until he turns 18. Police Senior Master Sergeant Marsito Torreon, the investigator at the Las Pinas police station, said they had received anonymous tips regarding the case. He said: "There are reports coming in, pictures being sent by concerned citizens who don't want to be named. Although we give this importance, the information is subject to investigation."

The alleged photos timestamped from the day he went missing were reportedly sent by Sucgang to a group chat and allegedly showed the young boy unconscious while lying inside a pail.

The boy had been "brutalised", local media reported and the user had changed his chat name to Jeffrey Dahmer.

Dahmer is an American serial killer and sex offender who murdered and dismembered seventeen men from 1978 to 1991.

A now-deleted message by Sucgang allegedly read: "I have done something that I deeply regret and I need to do my best to make up for it. I let my intrusive thoughts win and I have to pay the consequences.

"I cannot express in words the pain and grift I feel for the victim's family. It is important for me to express my deepest condolences to the family and to let them know that I am truly sorry for what happened."

Police Colonel Jaime Santos, Las Pinas Police Chief, told local reporters: "Based on the interviews done by our investigators, we found that this suspect was fond of watching 'Dahmer', a foreign film involving serial killings and sexual offences. It seems like he internalised it. "He admitted his participation in what happened. Next, he was voluntarily surrendered by his mum. The boy was inside a washing machine on the second floor of the house."

Prince's furious grandfather, who declined to be named, said he wanted Sucgang to be punished. He said: "He should be charged. He must suffer for his crimes. He admitted it, and he posted what he did. He planned it, and he went through with it. That's how shameless he is."

Meanwhile, Sucgang's mum urged other parents to monitor their children's browsing on the internet.

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