the essentials Relive the latest advances in the investigation on Tuesday April 2 into the death of Emile in Haut-Vernet.
- Accident, manslaughter, murder: all hypotheses remain on the table
After the discovery of bones including the skull of little Emile on Saturday March 30, nothing allowed three days later to determine the cause of the little boy’s death. “Between the fall, manslaughter and murder, we still cannot favor one hypothesis over another,” insisted the public prosecutor of Aix-en-Provence, Jean-Luc Blachon, during the a press point this Tuesday. Concerning the walker who found the skull and some teeth, the magistrate specified that she had put them “carefully” in a plastic bag before returning home and calling the gendarmerie.
- Bite marks and fractures on the skull
“No ante-mortem trauma was observed” on the skull found. It nevertheless presents “small post-mortem fractures and cracks” as well as “bite marks, probably caused by one or more animals”, detailed the prosecutor. Furthermore, “a maxilla is missing, without it being possible to know whether it detached naturally or under the effect of traction”, added the magistrate, according to whom the “analyses are continuing”. The rest of the child’s bones have not been found at this time. Research must continue tomorrow in Haut-Vernet.
- Child’s clothes found scattered
On Monday, 150 meters below the path where Emile’s bones were seen, the gendarmes nevertheless found “scattered over a few dozen meters” clothes belonging to the child, more precisely a t-shirt, shoes and panties. Elements which must now be analyzed. Regarding the location of these discoveries, it is located approximately 1.7 kilometers from the hamlet, approximately 25 minutes’ walk. It is impossible at this time to determine whether Emile’s skull and clothes had been there since July 8, the day of Emile’s disappearance, or whether they could have been brought back to the site by a person, an animal or the weather conditions.
22h21.
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19h45.
Bites and fractures on the skull, clothing, preferred leads… what to remember from the prosecutor’s press briefing
Jean-Luc Blanchon, public prosecutor of Aix-en-Provence, held a press conference at the end of the afternoon during which he revealed new elements surrounding the death of little Emile, whose bones were were found on Saturday.
Read also :
Disappearance of Emile: bites and fractures on the skull, clothing, preferred leads… what to remember from the prosecutor’s press briefing
6:15 p.m.
The bones discovered are not enough to “say what is the cause of Emile’s death”
Despite the discovery of the bones this weekend, it is, for the moment, not possible “to say what is the cause of Emile’s death”, specified the public prosecutor of Aix-en- Provence.
18h13.
“Post-mortem cracks”, “small fractures” and “bite marks” detected on the skull
“Post-mortem cracks”, “small fractures” and “bite marks” were detected on Emile’s skull. “A maxilla is missing, without it being possible to know whether it came off naturally or under the effect of traction,” added the magistrate. “Analyses are continuing,” continued Jean-Luc Blanchon.
18h07.
The hiker who discovered Emile’s skull placed it “in a plastic bag” before contacting the authorities, clothes found
The toddler’s skull was found on steep terrain, in a “very vegetated” area, said Jean-Luc Blanchon. “Some clothes” – “a t-shirt, his shoes and panties” – were found not far from the bones, and “were not gathered in the same place but scattered over a few meters”. All these effects will soon be the subject of analyses, added the public prosecutor.
18h04.
The prosecutor welcomes “the massive mobilization” of volunteers and gendarmes
Jean-Luc Blanchon, the public prosecutor of Aix-en-Provence, also sent his “thoughts” to Emile’s parents, who experienced “painful hours”.
17h54.
The press conference of the public prosecutor of Aix-en-Provence must start at 6 p.m.
11h22.
A “difficult to access” search area
The area where Emile’s bones were found would be “difficult to access”, near a ravine with steep slopes, specifies BFMTV.
Read also :
Disappearance of Émile: “deserted place”, watercourse… what we know about the area where the little boy’s bones were found
10h50.
Why were entomologists called?
As part of the analysis of Emile’s bones, entomologists were called. These insect specialists will try to date Emile’s death based on the insects found around his bones, we learn BFMTV. These specialists are part of the team of experts the IRCGN, they are also interested in pollen.
10h44.
The Aix-en-Provence public prosecutor will hold a press conference at 6 p.m.
BFM DICI tells us that the prosecutor will speak at 6 p.m. to take stock of the investigation, two days after the announcement of the discovery of Emile’s bones, in Haut-Vernet.
09h49.
The circumstances of the discovery of the bones studied by the investigators
Instead of leaving them there to facilitate the investigation work, the walker who discovered the bones decided to take them directly to the gendarmerie.
A gesture which raises questions, both because the place in question, named by the locals “the four paths” had been raked several times, but also because the weather conditions that day were not particularly favorable for a hike, notes France3 PACA .
07h34.
Nearly 48 hours after the announcement of the discovery of Emile’s bones, what are the leads favored by investigators?
Accident ? Manslaughter ? Murder? Some doors have closed, but many are still open.
07h33.
Mapping the places of discovery
A hamlet cordoned off and patrolled by dozens of soldiers: two days after the discovery of bones belonging to little Émile Haut-Vernet (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) finds itself – once again – cut off from the world this Monday April 1st.
07h31.
Research continues in Haut-Vernet
“The search will last as long as it is necessary,” warned Colonel Pierre-Yves Bardy, commander of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence gendarmerie group, in charge of securing the sector where field experts work, including anthropologists and dog handlers: “We must prevent hikers or other people from polluting the site”.
07h31.
Welcome to this live
Follow all the news from the investigation into Emile’s death, live on ladepeche.fr .