A young French woman's hopeful journey to meet an online love interest ended in unimaginable horror when she was buried alive in her date's back garden.
A Fateful Journey for Love
Mina El Houari, a 25-year-old from Cadenet in southeast France, believed she had finally found 'the one' after weeks of chatting with a man online. Convinced of their connection, she booked a flight from France to Fez, Morocco, in December 2025, checking into a five-star hotel ahead of their long-awaited first meeting.
According to reports, the pair decided to meet at the man's home. The conversation was said to be going well, until the evening took a sudden and inexplicable turn. Mina collapsed, keeling over in front of her date.
A Panicked Reaction with Tragic Consequences
In a state of blind panic, the man told police he believed Mina had simply dropped dead. Claiming he wanted to cover his tracks, he decided to dispose of her body by burying her in a shallow grave in his back garden.
Tragically, Mina was not dead. The man later admitted he was so stressed he failed to check for signs of life. A coroner's report would later reveal Mina was an undiagnosed diabetic and had entered a diabetic coma when she was placed in the grave. She subsequently suffocated to death.
Discovery and Aftermath
The man stayed silent, but when Mina's family could not contact her, they raised the alarm with Moroccan authorities and flew to Fez themselves. Police investigation led them to the man, where officers discovered muddy trousers and a shovel.
Following the evidence, they uncovered the shallow grave in the garden. The man confessed to his actions and was charged with involuntary manslaughter. Mina's quest for true love had ended in a slow and painful death, a thousand miles from home.
