After going missing, a 12-year-old girl’s body was found inside a suitcase near her family’s apartment building. The incident has left the country in shock.
A 24-year-old Algerian woman was soon arrested and accused of murder and rape of a minor, torture, acts of barbarity, and concealment of a corpse. She admitted to having asked the girl to shower before committing lewd and violent acts against her.
Meanwhile, a 43-year-old man was also arrested for being her accomplice in hiding the body. They were caught red-handed by a surveillance camera found inside the building where they live. This footage was the last evidence of the girl alive.
The young girl was identified as Lola Daviet. Her mother, Delphine, posted a call for help on her Facebook account when she did not come home after class.
According to her father, who works in the building, video footage shows that Lola entered the building with a woman that he did not know. A few hours later, the woman went out carrying two bags.
Authorities believe that the female suspect might be suffering from psychiatric problems.
In the late evening, a homeless man reported to police that he had found a suitcase in Rue d’Hautpoul, a few streets away from the family’s home, which contained the body of the girl. Her corpse was hidden under clothes in a plastic trunk.
When the girl was found, reports said that her hands and feet were bound, she had a gash on her neck, and two Post-It notes with “0” and “1” written on each. Reports say that she died due to asphyxiation.
Both the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, and President Emmanuel Macron have met with Lola’s family. The President also offered his “solidarity and support,” when he met the parents at Elysee Palace on Tuesday.
Since the Algerian suspect had entered the country illegally, questions about the government’s immigration policies have also been raised. The woman lived in France illegally for three years.
The public has also offered their support to the family. Sympathy flowers have been left outside Lola’s building. A support center was opened, and patrols have been increased around the area.
Prosecutors are currently continuing with their investigation.