It is very sad news which has tarnished the joy of this Easter Sunday: the analysis of a skull and teeth found by a walker on Saturday March 30 confirmed this Sunday March 31 that they did indeed belong to the little Émile, 2 and a half years old, reported missing on July 8. While the investigation is now focused on new research, to explore different hypotheses, the child’s family has published a moving statement through their lawyer, reported by our colleagues at Figaro. Speaking of a news “heartbreaking” And “feared”the family of the missing child, notoriously very religious, called “to mourning, meditation and prayer”.
For bruised parents, but who find comfort in their faith, bereaved parents have sadly noted that in this “Resurrection Sunday […]Émile watches over them in the light and tenderness of God, but the pain and sorrow remain.” Their lawyer, Me Triomphe, also conveyed the thanks of Émile’s parents to all those who participated, directly or indirectly, in the search to find the little boy: “Marie and Colomban would like to thank all those who helped and supported them, as well as the investigating judges and investigators for their work, their professionalism, their personal commitment and their humanity, which were very helpful to them. great comfort in recent months and especially on this day.” A little later in the day, the press release was read in its entirety on BFMTV.
💬 “The time has come for mourning, contemplation and prayer”
➡ Little Émile’s family reacts via a press release to the discovery of the child’s bones pic.twitter.com/AIp3DRRWv1
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) March 31, 2024
Disappearance of Émile: the mayor of Vernet also speaks
As soon as the news of the discovery of the bones became known, following the announcement by the public prosecutor of Aix-en-Provence, the mayor of Vernet, François Balique, reacted to the news on BFMTV: “I am relieved, but very sad, because I hoped that he would be found alive”while specifying that “No one here knew that this discovery had taken place.” While the village of Haut-Vernet will be “frozen” for a week, in order to give investigators time to carry out additional searches in the hope of clarifying the mystery of the little boy’s death, the relatives of Émile will have to learn to live without him. In their statement, the devastated parents also asked journalists to respect their mourning and not try to contact them.
Article written with the collaboration of 6Medias
Photo credits: Screenshot / BFMTV