Police in Guangdong province have stepped up their investigation after a 12-year-old mentally disabled girl, believed to have been sexually assaulted repeatedly, became pregnant twice in eight months.

In a notice released on Saturday, the public security bureau in Xinyi, Guangdong, said it had received a report in March that a girl had been sexually abused and become pregnant. Due to a lack of clues, an investigation of that case is still underway.

In late October, family members of the girl told police she was pregnant again, just months after having an abortion for the first pregnancy.

Xinyi police said they had decided to combine the investigations of the two cases and urged those responsible to turn themselves in.

The city government said in a statement published on Friday that it had arranged for the girl, who is mentally disabled, to check into a hospital for another abortion.

Psychological support and consultation services have been provided to the girl and her family members, and charity groups have offered to cover tuition fees and other expenses for the girl to be enrolled in a special school.

The government added that it will continue to keep a close eye on the girl and her family, and to provide continuous assistance to help them address difficulties.

ThePaper.cn, an online news portal, reported that police had compared DNA samples of the aborted embryo resulting from the first pregnancy with about six suspects, but no close match was discovered.

It quoted a woman surnamed Qiu, who it said was the young victim's aunt, as saying the girl's parents were also mentally disabled and the household relied on basic living allowances issued by the government.