Died after being hit by a drunk driver on December 13, in Narbonne, the body of Thomas Magdalou was still being held by the judicial authorities. After a mobilization of his loved ones, this Monday, December 23, before the Narbonne court, Thomas' body will be returned to his family.
Thomas was 26 years old, last Friday December 13, cursed for him and his family, he was hit by a motorist at 2 a.m., on the D6009, near Fours à Chaux in Narbonne. Drunk, the 34-year-old driver then tried to resuscitate the young man, in vain.
Saturday December 21, more than a week after the tragedy, Bernard Magdalou, father of the victim, posted a message on his Facebook account, to express outrage at the court's decision: “She refuses to give us back her body and announced to us yesterday (Friday December 20) that they will not return it to us until January 2025. We cannot accept this. We want her family and friends to take us in with Thomas.“
Nearly 300 people to support
Calling for a rally on Monday, December 23 in front of the Narbonne courthouse, for those who “nearly or distantly knew Thomas, his friends, his family or are sensitive to our cause.” There were nearly 300 of them, in front of the court, under the Narbonne drizzle a few days before Christmas.
“The autopsy of the victim's body is obligatory as part of an investigation for aggravated manslaughter in order to verify the causes of death and to link this with the results of the investigation. An investigating judge is seized. The law imposes requirements on us and does not allow us to return the body to the family until the autopsy report has been communicated to this investigating judge.Narbonne public prosecutor Eric Camous explained to L’Indépendant. This Monday, it was the representative of the public prosecutor who received Thomas' close family, who came forward with a portrait of the deceased in their hands.
There it is in a fridge…
Outside, there were many friends, family and acquaintances of Thomas in support. “No Christmas without Thomas“, “Give us back our brother“, could be read on signs brandished in front of the steps of the courthouse. “It’s important especially for the family, to be able to mourn, to do it quickly, there it is in a fridgeconfided, moved, Arthur, Thomas’s best friend… It's already complicated, it doesn't have to be even more so. The circumstances are already tough enough. Everyone who has a son in their twenties puts themselves in the place of Thomas' parents…”
In the dense crowd, not only acquaintances of Thomas and his family, but also people to whom this story speaks. “I have a grandson the same agesays Nicole, 74 years old, from Ouveillan. It was important to be there to show our support to the family, I don't know what state I would be in if this ordeal happened to me…”
Tracksuits from rugby clubs, such as AS Canet, Tauch Corbières and Corbières XV could be seen during the gathering, to support the family of a man who maintained special links with quite a few clubs in Narbonnais. A prison guard, like his father before him, at the Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone Prison, near Montpellier, Thomas and his family could also count on the support of the profession.
We will get it back today
After 45 minutes in the prosecutor's office, Thomas' loved ones left relieved. “We’re going to get it back today.”announced, sobbing, Bernard, the victim’s father. “You don't know what it's like not to see our child for 10 days. “We were told about not getting him back until January, I think those were clumsy words, from someone who wasn't aware of the situation.”
It was Bernard, portrait of his son still in his hands, who spoke to the approximately 300 people who came to give him their support, on this square. “We’re going to get it back.”he shouted, drawing applause from the crowd. The emotion of Thomas' father and mother prevented them from continuing a speech, while one of the relatives chanted “For Thomas”which led to another round of applause.
