Girl, 4, spent hours in car full of bodies
CHEVALINE, France (AP) - French investigators struggled Thursday to explain how a 4-year-old girl could go undetected for eight hours in a car full of corpses in the French Alps.
They also acknowledged that they still don't know why a family of British vacationers were slain in a BMW on a remote mountain road near the French village of Chevaline.
The attacker or attackers violently beat and shot the girl's sister, who is about 7 years old, Prosecutor Eric Maillaud told reporters in nearby Annecy. The older girl was found near the car and hospitalized. She will be operated on but her life is out of danger, he said.
French authorities were not releasing the identities of the victims, but said the car was registered to a man with a British passport, born in Baghdad in 1962. A Swedish passport and Iraqi passport were also found at the scene, Maillaud said.
Four people were found dead on the remote road: one adult man in the driver's seat of the British-registered BMW; two women in the back seat, one older than the other; and a French male cyclist who appeared to have nothing to do with the family.
The bodies were found Wednesday by a British former air force officer who was cycling by, the prosecutor said.
A number of rescuers - firefighters, medical workers, police - apparently eyed the crime scene after it was reported about 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Local officials then waited for special investigators to arrive, police said.
The 4-year-old girl was only found after midnight, but was doing fine physically, Maillaud said. She described hearing cries and asked investigators where her family was. She was taken into police care and will be questioned later, he said.
The prosecutor said they were looking at all possible motives and are protecting the girls in case the killers are still on the loose and want to "get rid of" witnesses to the killings.
Three of the four victims were shot in the head, and the fourth victim remains in the car pending further investigation, Maillaud said.
He said the bodies will be autopsied Friday.
"We strictly don't know why these people were killed," Maillaud said.
They also acknowledged that they still don't know why a family of British vacationers were slain in a BMW on a remote mountain road near the French village of Chevaline.
The attacker or attackers violently beat and shot the girl's sister, who is about 7 years old, Prosecutor Eric Maillaud told reporters in nearby Annecy. The older girl was found near the car and hospitalized. She will be operated on but her life is out of danger, he said.
French authorities were not releasing the identities of the victims, but said the car was registered to a man with a British passport, born in Baghdad in 1962. A Swedish passport and Iraqi passport were also found at the scene, Maillaud said.
Four people were found dead on the remote road: one adult man in the driver's seat of the British-registered BMW; two women in the back seat, one older than the other; and a French male cyclist who appeared to have nothing to do with the family.
The bodies were found Wednesday by a British former air force officer who was cycling by, the prosecutor said.
A number of rescuers - firefighters, medical workers, police - apparently eyed the crime scene after it was reported about 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Local officials then waited for special investigators to arrive, police said.
The 4-year-old girl was only found after midnight, but was doing fine physically, Maillaud said. She described hearing cries and asked investigators where her family was. She was taken into police care and will be questioned later, he said.
The prosecutor said they were looking at all possible motives and are protecting the girls in case the killers are still on the loose and want to "get rid of" witnesses to the killings.
Three of the four victims were shot in the head, and the fourth victim remains in the car pending further investigation, Maillaud said.
He said the bodies will be autopsied Friday.
"We strictly don't know why these people were killed," Maillaud said.
Definitely seems more the assassination than random nutjob.
Sounds to me like it was an Israeli hit squad killing an Iraqi national that had been working in and with Iran.Sadly they chose to kill the whole family and an additional innocent instead of isolating the guilty party.
Â
Sad and horrible all the way around.
Â
But what do I know....
 @Ihateupeople You do realize in 1962 Iraq was still heavily involved with Britain thru petrochemical production?
 @unobtanium Yes I do, the US was also very close with Iraq in the 70's. However how does that counter act my theory?
It sounds like the women in the back seat hid the 4yo and kept her from being shot like the rest. Rest in peace ladies, you did what you could and you did it well. These poor children, I only hope they are able to overcome this horror and get on with life.Â
Those poor children, what a horrible thing to have to go through, my heart aches for them. I hope they find whoever did this and get the off the streets before they harm/kill anyone else.
Creepy. Just plain creepy. Please find those responsible and put them out of their misery!
The poor children, I do hope they find that shooter. Randomly killing an family and shooting someone whom saw this all take place. I hope he get's hanged or whatever is the maximal sentience that French laws have.Â
There's 2 little girls. The 4 year old and her 7 year old sister who was "violently beat and shot."
Â
Those poor children.
Seems to be a possible hate crime. I hope someone takes care of that poor girl.
Unacceptable crime scene protocol. That poor child!
@achoo2
The police were following crime scene protocol. They waited for an investigation team to arrive and meticulously process the scene. The little girl kept silent (as she likely was told to do by who ever hid her). My guess would be she was under their legs or hidden in a jacket or skirt. Yes that poor child.Â