A 12-year-old boy was found dead on Sunday on the banks of the Vilaine river in Rennes, with a towel tied around his neck. A murder investigation has been opened and the involvement of a third party has not been ruled out.
The alert was raised around 4:40 p.m. after a fisherman heard a child's cries. The body was discovered in a bush near the city center, with a wet bath towel tied very tightly around the neck.
Rennes public prosecutor Frédéric Teillet visited the scene. The circumstances of the death remain to be established, but the possibility of third-party involvement is among the lines of inquiry. The investigation has been assigned to the organized and specialized crime division.
Numerous police officers and forensic experts carried out examinations at the site late in the day. Local residents expressed shock at the incident in an area described as busy and usually quiet.