The autopsy of the infant's body established that it was a boy. The infant also did not present “any malformation indicating that he was not born viable”. The investigation has been reclassified.
The investigation opened after the discovery of the body of an infant in a trash bag on Monday, December 30 along a road in Mably (Loire) is progressing. The autopsy made it possible to determine that the child was born viable, reports Xavier Laurent, public prosecutor of Roanne, this Tuesday, January 2. The investigation opened to “search for the causes of death” was in fact reclassified as “murder of a 15-year-old minor”.
On Monday, December 30, a little before 1 p.m., a jogger saw a trash bag on the towpath along the Roanne-Digoin canal in Mably. She stops her journey, surprised by the presence of the black bag between the track and the canal. She then discovered “the lifeless body of a young child”, and immediately notified the police.
Dispatched to the site, the police made initial observations. Divers probe the canal. The infant's death certificate is issued. It is written that the infant is female, but that her identity is not known.
The body “hidden in the bag and submerged”
The next day, Tuesday December 31, an autopsy of the infant's body was carried out at the Saint-Etienne forensic institute. “He could then determine that the child was in fact male.” His weight and size were “compatible with a full-term birth”, reports the public prosecutor of Roanne. The infant did not present “any malformation indicating that he was not born viable”.
To date, the date and cause of his death have not been determined. Additional tests were ordered. The autopsy, however, made it possible to establish “that the body had been hidden in the bag and submerged”, adds the public prosecutor of Roanne.
In view of these elements and “the circumstances of discovery of the body of the newborn, abandoned in a body of water”, the investigation, opened for “search for the causes of death”, was reclassified as “murder of a 15-year-old minor. She was entrusted to the Loire national police in order to identify the infant and determine “the circumstances and responsibilities involved in his death”.
In his press release, the public prosecutor of Roanne calls on all people who have information useful to the investigation, people who were able to note the presence of the child's body or the black bag in which he was found, contact the investigation service at 04.77.93.52.98 or by email: [email protected].
