The events occurred on Wednesday evening around 8:15 p.m. in the Messier-Stade district of Luxeuil-les-Bains (Haute-Saône). Neighbors alerted by screams saw a seriously injured little girl at the foot of their building. The Samu and emergency services quickly on the scene were unable, despite their perseverance, to keep the child alive.
The death of the little girl was declared at 10:15 p.m. leaving an entire neighborhood in shock. A gendarmerie investigation was opened to understand how the evening unfolded. According to the press release published at the end of the day, the 6-year-old girl was at the family home in the presence only of her 4-year-old sister and her 3-year-old niece. The 37-year-old mother left the apartment around 6:10 p.m. with another of her daughters aged 12.
The drama took place in the Messier-Stade district which is a “political city” district. 1200 people live there out of a total population of 7000 Luxovians. The population density is high. Such an event shocked everyone.
It is a catastrophe, a terrible tragedy.
Frédéric Burghard, mayor of Luxeuil-les-Bains
Reached by telephone, the mayor of Luxeuil-les-Bains, Frédéric Burghard, is working on setting up a psychological unit which he hopes will be operational from Friday. This Wednesday evening, his deputy Loïc Laborie was on site as well as agents who came to bring coffee to support everyone.
The national education system did the same work today. Psychologists were present at the primary school in Bois de la Dame, where the little girl was enrolled. Each student and each teacher was able to confide within the school.
An autopsy of the little victim will take place on Friday, June 28. The prosecution has requested that the child welfare services take charge and that the children be accompanied. The mother was placed in police custody for aggravated neglect of a minor. The prosecution is considering referring the matter to an investigating judge at the end of the police custody.
