Port Elizabeth police confirmed that seven-year-old Sonja Payi, whose body was found on Monday, had died as a result of being electrocuted.
Police Spokesperson, Captain Andre Beetge, said that a postmortem also revealed the girl had been raped.
The child went missing over the weekend, allegedly after being abducted by a man. The little girl was reportedly walking with a friend from a spaza shop in New Brighton when the incident occurred.
Her body was found in an open veld in Struanway on Monday.
Beetge said the area where her body was found was rife with illegal electrical connections.
“The autopsy report indicated that she had been electrocuted and she also tested positive for rape. Police are investigating a case of murder and rape,” said Beetge.
No arrests have been made.