Cops in Brazil are hunting a burglar accused of raping a little girl before stabbing her and her brother to death.

The siblings’ mum – a carer for the elderly – was horrified to return home from work on Wednesday to find her son, seven-year-old Luiz Otavio Nunes Reis, dead.

She and neighbours called police, who began searching for the woman’s daughter, five-year-old Ayla Luciene Jesus Nunes.

The girl’s body was quickly found in an area of woodland 200 metres (219 yards) from the family home in Bonopolis, Goias state.

Police spokesman Danilo Wendell revealed that the siblings had been stabbed in the throat and that Ayla’s body had shown signs of sexual abuse.

Cops have identified a suspect and have been scouring the area for him since 6th July. They have not revealed his identity.

Officer Wendell said: “The suspect is not related to the victims’ family. He is from the countryside and often walks around the town.”

The policeman revealed that the siblings were home alone when the crime is believed to have taken place, at around 4pm.

Neighbours usually kept an eye out for the youngsters while their mother was out, but no one reported hearing screams at the time of the incident.

Local woman Maria Menezes Rodrigues said she had seen a man leaving the house with a bag on his back but added she had no idea it could have been the girl’s body.

The search for the suspect is ongoing.