Two French teenagers have admitted to strangling an 11-year-old boy to death after accusing him of stealing approximately £9 worth of fishing gear. The victim, identified only as Théo, was discovered lifeless on the banks of the Vilaine River in Rennes, western France, on Sunday afternoon.
A 15-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy are currently in custody and are scheduled to appear before a judge on Wednesday, according to local media reports. Prosecutors revealed that the pair told investigators they sought revenge against Théo because they believed he had stolen fishing equipment from them, as reported by Le Parisien. The gear was reportedly valued at around ten euros (£9).
Théo was found after a fisherman alerted emergency services upon hearing a child screaming nearby. When police arrived approximately 10 minutes later, they discovered the boy in a wooded area close to the water. He was lying in bushes with a wet bath towel tightly wrapped around his neck, according to French broadcaster BFMTV. Paramedics attempted first aid, but Théo died at the scene. An autopsy later confirmed that he died from asphyxiation.
Investigators believe that Théo had been fishing on the banks of the Vilaine earlier that afternoon with the two teenage suspects. The 16-year-old boy and Théo had reportedly known each other for just one day after meeting while fishing and arranging to meet again the following day. It remains unclear whether Théo knew the 15-year-old girl.
After the attack, the two teenagers were reportedly seen fleeing the scene, according to public prosecutor Frédéric Teillet. Police later discovered Théo's fishing equipment at the suspects' homes during searches. The pair were not previously known to police or judicial authorities and are said to attend the same school.
According to the state prosecutor, the teenagers told investigators that they strangled the child in revenge and partly to recover fishing equipment they believed he had taken. Théo had informed his parents on Saturday that the 16-year-old boy had used bait to lure him, according to reports.
French police launched a murder investigation following the discovery of the boy's body on Sunday. 'As we suspect that a third party is involved in the incident, we have opened an investigation into the murder of a minor child,' prosecutor Frédéric Teillet stated on Monday. The case has been transferred to DCOS, the Department for Organized and Specialized Crime.
Police investigators worked through the night at the scene after the discovery, with a large stretch of the riverbank cordoned off while forensic teams gathered evidence.
