09 February 2025 , 19:27
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An 11-year-old girl who vanished on her way home from school was reportedly found dead in woodlands with ‘numerous’ stab wounds.
Louise Lasalle, disappeared in Épinay-sur-Orge, Essonne, just south of Paris, shortly before 2pm, on Friday after she left André-Maurois middle school.
When she didn’t return home, her concerned parents called police and her sister posted an appeal on social media.
‘My little sister Louise Lassalle disappeared at 2pm near Andre Maurois college in Epinay. She went through the Bas Follet trail,’ her sibling wrote.
‘She had a purple backpack with a butterfly on it and a navy blue coat. She [had] a large white bandage on her chin too.’
Sadly, after a search involving dogs, a helicopter and drones, police found her body early Saturday morning in Parc des Templiers woodlands, which lies less than a mile from her school.
According to BFMTV, Louise had suffered ‘numerous’ stab wounds.
Prosecutors said there wasn’t evidence to suggest sexual violence was involved.
CCTV footage shows Louise walking towards the park before she disappeared, reports Le Parisien.
Before her body was found, police arrested a 23-year-old man who it’s believed was seen on surveillance cameras, and his 20-year-old female partner.
CCTV cameras captured her walking towards the woods, on her way home from school
Louise had a bandage on her chin when she went missing, said her sister in an appeal
(Picture: Enterprise News and Pictures)
She vanished shortly before 2pm (Picture: Facebook)
They were taken into custody but later released without charge, according to Le Parisien.
Public prosecutor Grégoire Dulin confirmed that ‘an investigation into the murder of a minor has been opened’.
It is now being handled by the Versailles organised and specialised crime division.
The local authority offered its condolences, adding: ‘As soon as [Louise’s] disappearance was reported, all means were deployed to try to find her.”
An autopsy will be carried out to determine the exact cause of death.