Nine-year-old girl found lifeless in Saxony; authorities suspect foul play.
Investigators reported that no signs of sexual assault were found, and their focus shifted to the acquaintances of the deceased nine-year-old girl, as stated by State Prosecutor Ingrid Burghart. No suspects or arrests had been made, and Burghart didn't provide any information about the ongoing investigation. The location of the body was believed to be the crime scene, but the time of the incident remained unknown.
The girl didn't show up at her school on a Monday and was declared missing on the same day. Authorities launched an extensive search and rescue mission in the Döbeln area, employing more than 300 officers and dogs. They also reviewed surveillance footage and questioned potential witnesses, who provided clues to investigators. Television shows like "Aktenzeichen XY ... ungelöst" broadcasted updates on the case.
Chemnitz Police President Carsten Kämpf voiced his "great concern" on a Wednesday. Everyone involved hoped to find the missing girl alive, but sadly, that didn't happen. The police will now do their utmost to solve the case as that's what's owed to the girl and her family, he said. Kämpf further stated that the case was heartbreaking.
Officials found the body approximately four kilometers from the girl's house in a secluded area of the forest. The forensic examinations later verified the identity of the deceased. The police had already reported the discovery of a body on Tuesday evening, but its identity was initially unclear.
The girl's mother was under the care of police chaplains, while the father of the murdered child, who was in Ukraine, was also contacted by the investigators.
Police believed the body was discovered about two kilometers from where a witness heard a scream or several screams on the day of the girl's disappearance. The woman reported her observations two days later, which led the police to the location. However, the clues couldn't be verified further due to the lack of specificity in her description.
The head of the Chemnitz criminal police, Mandy Kürschner, said that the possibility of kidnapping was considered during the nine-day search for the girl. The police also checked on potentially dangerous criminals, and this theory was just one of many - another being an accidental death.
Saxony's Prime Minister, Michael Kretschmer, called the news of the girl's death "horrifying." He was "shocked and shaken by this tragedy" and expressed his sympathies to the family and friends of the victim, also thanking everyone who participated in the search mission.
