Body of six-year-old girl found

Thursday 5 April 2007

BRUSSELS – The Francophone radio broadcasters RTBF and Bel RTL reported this morning that the body of a six-year-old girl was found in Houyet, a sub-district of Wanlin (province of Namur). last night. She disappeared on Wednesday afternoon at around 3.00 p.m.

The public prosecution department of Dinant is investigating the case and is keeping all its options open. Her body was found on the bank of the river Lesse. The slightly handicapped girl lived in the town, in a house in Wanlin overlooking the river and often played close by.

“The girl’s parents became anxious at around 5.00 p.m. when their daughter had not yet returned home. They raised the alarm at around 7.00 p.m.,” said Stephane Herbay of the public prosecution department.

The police had instigated a search using a tracker dog, but to no avail. Later, the Beauraingfire brigade, assisted by the fire brigade of Dinant , began searching downstream from the girl’s house. The body was found at around 9.00 p.m.

The examining judge Olivier Bontyes is looking into the case and a pathologist will carry out the autopsy on Thursday in order to determine the cause of death.

Subject: Belgian news