In a tragic turn of events in Saint-Martin-de-l’If, Seine-Maritime, France, the body of 6-year-old Célya was discovered in a forest on Saturday, July 13, following her disappearance the previous evening. The child had been reported missing by her mother on Friday, July 12, around 6 pm, triggering a massive search operation and the activation of France’s ‘alerte-enlèvement’ (kidnapping alert) system.According to the Rouen prosecutor, the mother had called the gendarmerie to report that she had been attacked with a knife by her partner, who was not the child’s father, and that her daughter was missing. When authorities arrived at the home, they found it empty. The mother, who was hospitalized with knife wounds, is not in life-threatening condition.A large-scale search operation was immediately launched, involving over 100 gendarmes from Seine-Maritime and neighboring departments, mobile gendarme units, a canine team, and a helicopter. The suspect, described as a 42-year-old man with a thin build, brown hair, and blue eyes, was last seen driving a blue marine Golf with the license plate 7189 WM 76.On Saturday morning, gendarmes discovered Célya’s body in a wooded area near the suspect’s abandoned vehicle. Shortly after, the main suspect, the mother’s partner, was arrested near the location where his car was found. He has been placed in custody and is known to the justice system for past behavioral issues.This marks the second ‘alerte-enlèvement’ of the year in France. The system, adopted in 2006, has been activated 30 times and is designed to mobilize the population in the search for a missing child and their suspected abductor.
Key points
- 6-year-old Célya was found dead in a forest in Seine-Maritime, France, after being reported missing.
- The suspect, the mother’s 42-year-old partner, was arrested and is in custody.
- The case triggered France’s ‘alerte-enlèvement’ system, mobilizing a large-scale search operation.
- The mother had reported being attacked with a knife by her partner before the child’s disappearance.
Contradictions👾There is a discrepancy in the reported age of the victim.
While most sources state Célya was 6 years old, one source incorrectly reports her as 7 years old.
👾The exact timing of the suspect’s arrest is unclear, with some sources reporting it happened on Saturday morning, while others suggest it occurred at dawn.
