MANILA — The suspect in the rape-slay of an 8-year-old girl in Lucena, Quezon was found dead in the city's detention center on Sunday.

Lucena police said the 19-year-old suspect's body was found past Sunday midnight inside the comfort room of the facility where he was being detained.

The suspect was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival, four days after he was detained on May 31.

He had initially been identified as a witness to the rape-slay in Barangay Gulang-Gulang, Lucena City, after reporting the incident to authorities. The victim's body was found naked and muzzled.

He, however, was later considered a suspect after surveillance footage revealed that he had been with the victim an hour before she was raped and killed, according to Lucena police chief Lt. Col. Ruben Ballera Jr.

Lucena police also said the suspect eventually admitted to the crime, saying that he had been sniffing rugby before the incident.

The suspect's father, however, claimed that his son could not have possibly committed the crime, saying he suffers from mental illness.

As of writing, police are still investigating the incident and determining if there are irregularities behind the suspect's death.

—Report from Ronilo Dagos