Girl hid under bodies for hours after French Alps shootings
- 12 years ago
A car is removed from the scene of a brutal shooting in the French Alps.
Police found three people shot dead in a British-registered BMW. A fourth victim - a cyclist - was killed nearby and an eight-year-old girl with a gunshot wound was taken to hospital.
But a big question remains...
How a did four-year-old girl -- alive and unhurt --- remain undiscovered in the car for several hours AFTER investigators arrived on the scene.
French prosecutor Eric Maillaud.
SOUNDBITE: French prosecutor Eric Maillaud (French)
"The doctor knows perfectly that he is on a crime scene so he got close to the bodies, saw that the people were dead and left the scene. There was this woman, clothes, bags and this little girl who was absolutely still, absolutely still."
The child was discovered on the floor between the front and back seats, under the legs of two dead women thought to be her mother and grandmother.
British Ambassador to France Sir Peter Ricketts said French authorities acted professionally.
(SOUNDBITE) British Ambassador to France Sir Peter Ricketts
I understand that they were being very concerned not to disturb what was a murder scene and to lose evidence that might lead to the conviction of those who were responsible, and they didn't have any reason to think that there was another young girl on the scene.
The girl was rushed to hospital - joining what was thought to be her sister.
Police found three people shot dead in a British-registered BMW. A fourth victim - a cyclist - was killed nearby and an eight-year-old girl with a gunshot wound was taken to hospital.
But a big question remains...
How a did four-year-old girl -- alive and unhurt --- remain undiscovered in the car for several hours AFTER investigators arrived on the scene.
French prosecutor Eric Maillaud.
SOUNDBITE: French prosecutor Eric Maillaud (French)
"The doctor knows perfectly that he is on a crime scene so he got close to the bodies, saw that the people were dead and left the scene. There was this woman, clothes, bags and this little girl who was absolutely still, absolutely still."
The child was discovered on the floor between the front and back seats, under the legs of two dead women thought to be her mother and grandmother.
British Ambassador to France Sir Peter Ricketts said French authorities acted professionally.
(SOUNDBITE) British Ambassador to France Sir Peter Ricketts
I understand that they were being very concerned not to disturb what was a murder scene and to lose evidence that might lead to the conviction of those who were responsible, and they didn't have any reason to think that there was another young girl on the scene.
The girl was rushed to hospital - joining what was thought to be her sister.