Before his disappearance, the young American would have told several people that he had arrived in France unprepared and had difficulty making friends.
A 21-year-old American student who was studying French and had disappeared in Grenoble at the end of November, is currently in Spain, where he was able to talk to his parents, the Grenoble prosecutor’s office announced on Friday December 16.
“We just learned that young Kenneth DeLand was able to chat with his parents today. He would be in Spain“, announced to the press the prosecutor of Grenoble Eric Vaillant in a brief message.
“He is safe and sound”
He clarified that “no problemhad been reported regarding his state of health. “Kenny has been found!“, rejoiced his parents on the site they had created at his disappearance, entitled “FindKenDeLand.com“. “We heard from him (Friday), he is safe and sound“, they add, specifying that his mother was in France to prepare for his return to the United States.
On Monday, the prosecution announced that it had opened an investigation for “disturbing disappearanceafter his departure was reported by students at the University of Grenoble on November 29. According to the prosecution, however, the student seemed to have “left Grenoble voluntarily“and had indicated before his disappearance”that he wanted to go to Marseille before returning to the United States“.
“We fear the worst”
In his last post on his TikTok account, Ken DeLand filmed himself in a selfie listing his wishes for Christmas: “more friends», «no depression“-“more friends», «no depression“. According to his father, the student’s phone had ceased all activity since November 30. The young man was last seen in a Decathlon store in Montélimar on December 3.
His parents had launched a call for witnesses on their website and multiplied the messages of concern in the American press. “We fear the worst and want it to be located“, had written his relatives on this site about the blond student measuring about 1.82 m and weighing 86 kg.
According to the prosecution, the young American would have told several people that he arrived in France insufficiently prepared and had difficulty making friends. He had planned to leave France on December 15. “He said he didn’t want to go to the United States but wanted to stay in France“, For his part, explained to AFP a student of the French language program he was following at the University of Grenoble.
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