4-year-old girl beheaded by man in Taiwan capital

ByABC7.com staff KABC logo
Monday, March 28, 2016
Officials said a man beheaded a 4-year-old girl with a meat cleaver while she was riding her bike in Taipei, Taiwan, on Monday, March 28, 2016.
Officials said a man beheaded a 4-year-old girl with a meat cleaver while she was riding her bike in Taipei, Taiwan, on Monday, March 28, 2016.
KABC-KABC

TAIPEI, Taiwan (KABC) -- A 4-year-old Taiwanese girl was beheaded by a man in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, on Monday.

The girl's mother said she was walking a few feet behind her daughter while the child was riding a bicycle.

A man approached the girl, and according to her mother, it appeared as though he was going to help the child ride the bicycle up a hill.

But what happened next mortified the mother, as officials said the suspect used a meat cleaver to decapitate the girl.

The man was eventually tackled to the ground by Good Samaritans and held until police arrived.

Local news footage captured angry crowds gathered outside the police station trying to punch the man as he was taken into custody.

Investigators said the man has history of mental illness and a record of drug-related crimes.

Officials were trying to determine a motive behind the attack and whether the child was specifically targeted.