Overview
- The boy was discovered near the Vilaine River after a fisherman heard cries, and emergency crews pronounced him dead at the scene; prosecutors later confirmed he was 11 years old.
- The body was found in a wooded riverside area below a bridge near apartment buildings close to the city centre.
- A 16-year-old boy was detained at home and a 15-year-old girl turned herself in and was arrested; prosecutors say both were seen with the victim and are held on charges of murder of a minor.
- Investigators from Rennes' organised and specialised crime division have taken charge, carrying out forensics onshore and searches in the water as they examine multiple hypotheses including third-party involvement.
- The case has prompted local shock and an active inquiry that will focus next on forensic results, witness accounts and how the three children knew one another.