In the case of Emile's death, two unknown human DNA traces were discovered on the little boy's bones and clothes, according to information published by RTL this Friday. These traces, foreign to the little boy's DNA and that of his family, complicate the investigation due to their very degraded condition.
The analyses, carried out by the Bordeaux forensic laboratory after a first series of expert assessments by the IRCGN, reveal partial DNA, comprising only a small number of usable characteristics. For DNA to be interpretable, at least ten different characteristics must be found. With so little data, the possibilities for matches are extremely vast.
All hypotheses are explored
However, these DNA traces could also result from contamination. Emile's clothes and bones were handled several times, first when they were discovered last March by a hiker, then during the expert assessments. “With humidity and after a certain time, masks and gloves can become porous and leak cells,” explains an expert interviewed by the radio.
“Investigators are working hard […] we are not ruling out anything in this matter,” General Hubert Bonneau, director general of the national gendarmerie, explained to RTL. The investigation, involving 20 soldiers at all times, continues to explore all hypotheses, ranging from a tragic accident to intentional homicide.
