Authorities are investigating a murder after a missing 11-year-old girl was found dead in a wooded area in northern France.
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On Saturday, Feb. 8, police in Epinay-sur-Orge, a town in Essonne located about 16 miles south of Paris, announced in a press release that the body of an 11-year-old girl had been discovered 12 hours after her parents reported her missing. The girl was identified as Louise Lasalle, according to her sister’s post on social media, as reported by The Sun.
Police reported that Lasalle was walking home from her middle school on the afternoon of Friday, February 7. Typically a 10-minute journey, she failed to arrive home, prompting her parents to contact authorities at approximately 1:50 p.m. local time.
CCTV Captured the Victim’s Last Known Whereabouts Before She Went Missing
Lasalle’s older sister took to social media to seek the public’s assistance in finding her. She revealed that Lasalle was last seen crossing a street in Longjumeau, a neighboring town where her family resides.
On Friday night, police uncovered CCTV footage showing Lasalle entering the Bois des Templiers woods near her school, according to FranceInfo. This prompted investigators to launch an extensive search of the area, deploying search teams, tracking dogs, helicopters, and drones.
By 2:30 a.m. on February 8, police discovered Lasalle’s body, according to reports. An autopsy was performed later that day, and a source informed FranceInfo that the victim had suffered multiple stab wounds. However, the official cause of death has yet to be confirmed.
French Minister of Education Élisabeth Borne issued a statement on X following the discovery of Lasalle’s body.
“Following the discovery of the body of young Louise last night in Essonne, I offer my condolences to her family, her loved ones, her classmates and her teachers,” Borne wrote in French. “I am counting on investigators and the justice system to shed light on this tragedy.”
Suspects Were Reportedly Questioned Related to the 11-Year-Old Girl Found Dead
FranceInfo reported that police detained a 23-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman after security footage showed the man following Lasalle. The man, whose name has not been released, was already known to authorities. He and his partner, the 20-year-old woman, were at his home when police arrived shortly after midnight.
FranceInfo also reports that Grégoire Dulin, the region’s public prosecutor, announced the launch of an investigation into the “murder of a minor under 15.” The case is now being handled by the Versailles judicial police.