Warning: Distressing Content. A severely malnourished four-year-old girl was discovered lying alongside her mother's body, apparently trapped with the corpse for several days in a flat in Montagnac, near Pézenas, in France's Hérault department.
The 40-year-old mother, who reportedly suffered from epilepsy, was found dead by emergency responders at approximately midday on Thursday, June 4. The young girl was found next to the body, suffering from malnutrition, dehydration, and shock. She was rushed to hospital and has since recovered. A family member is now caring for her while she undergoes treatment.
Investigation Underway
As of June 11, investigators were examining the possibility that the death occurred naturally. No unusual noises were reportedly heard by neighbors, with no evidence of violence or a break-in discovered. A post-mortem examination is required, though it is believed she may have died from suffocation following an epileptic fit. The girl was reportedly too small to unlock the door to get help, with the key apparently left in the lock, reports the Irish Mirror.
Thankfully, the youngster's nursery teacher contacted police after noticing her absence from school. The teacher reportedly received no answer when attempting to reach the mother or her relatives. Meanwhile, French news outlet Actu.fr also reports that an alert was raised after the mother failed to respond to family and neighbors since Sunday, May 31.
Community in Shock
Philippe Audoui, first deputy mayor of Montagnac, told Le Parisien: "She wouldn't have lasted another day." The mother resided alone with her daughter and was not thought to have a partner, with neighbors describing the family as "discreet." A psychological support team was set up to assist those who attended and were traumatized by what 7sur7 called an "indescribable scene of horror."
The Pézenas gendarmerie is heading up the investigation, working alongside the public prosecutor's office in Béziers. One police officer recounted the scene to Le Parisien, saying: "It was a horrific scene that really upset me. We often see dead bodies, but this... As soon as the door was opened, we realized: there was a foul stench." Regarding the child, the officer added: "She screamed when she saw all those people around her."
According to reports, four officers turned up at the property, located in a small social housing estate in a town of approximately 4,880 inhabitants. After ringing the doorbell and knocking, they were met with silence. Local gendarmes were alerted, and firefighters positioned a ladder to the first floor before breaking through a window to enter the premises.
