Leopards now attacking humans in their houses
The child's mutilated body was found covered in mud in the backyard of the family home in a village near Udaipur, in India.
Local media named the girl as Ravina and said she was sleeping with her father Ranjit Singh and mother on the terrace of their house on Wednesday, when a leopard grabbed the child by her neck around midnight.
The girl's mother did not realise she was missing until around 4am, when they launched a frantic search, the Udaipur Kurin reports.
Teethmarks were found on the girl's body and villagers are reportedly angry that authorities have not done more to stop leopard attacks.
It is the second terrifying incident this month and police and forest authorities have been called in to search for the animal.
Leopards are frequently sighted in the area and pugmarks were found on the ground.
A large search party turned out to find the girl but they discovered her body in the family's backgarden
Comment: See also this selection of reports from India for the last 2 years of what seems to be increasingly bold, atypical behaviour by this big cat: Leopard attacks rise in Nashik region India: 12 people killed in five years
Leopard kills boy after entering house in Junnar, India: 'Very abnormal activity'
Leopard kills three-and-half-yr-old girl in Rampur, India
Leopard attacks boy and father in Dhar, India
50-yr-old woman killed by leopard in Junnar, India
Leopard changing its spots? Big cat attack on human, scooter and 4 by 4 vehicle in India
Hunt on for man-eater leopard after 2 killed in Alirajpur, India
Eight separate leopard attacks on humans across India within 2 months: Leopard attacks 5 people, beaten to death in Assam, India
Man-eating leopard preys on drunk villagers in the Didihat region, Himalayas
Leopard on the loose in Indian city sparks terror as it runs wild in a hospital, cinema and apartment block