NOS News•today, 8:42 PM
It is still unknown what caused the death of the toddler whose remains were found last weekend. This was reported by the public prosecutor in Aix-en-Provence.
About a 25-minute walk from the mountain village of Le Haut-Vernet, a hiker found the skull and teeth of 2-year-old Émile on Saturday. The bones were located on a narrow forest path in an area that is densely vegetated in summer. According to the officer, it is a forest path with a flat section, followed by a steep slope.
The child disappeared near the mountain village in early July last year. An extensive search turned up nothing. Prosecutor Jean-Luc Blanchon reports that the cause of death cannot be determined based on the found skull.
Animal bites
Small fractures were found in the skull, which Blanchon believes were probably caused by animal bites after the child’s death. No evidence of violence before the child’s death was found.
What can be determined in any case is that the skull was not buried “and was exposed to various weather influences for a long time.” “The upper jaw is missing, but we cannot determine whether this bone became loose naturally or by pulling,” Blanchon said.
Garments
It is also still unclear how the remains ended up at the site. Blanchon: “How and by whom? That is another question.” The clothing and skull may have been moved by weather or animals.
Near the skull, emergency services found the T-shirt, shoes and underpants that Émile was wearing on the day he disappeared. The garments were not all in the same place, but spread over dozens of meters.
The clothing is still being examined further. Tomorrow, research will also be conducted near the location of the skull and clothing.
