A 4-year-old girl was found unharmed amid three dead bodies inside a BMW parked outside the town of Chevaline, French Alps on Wednesday. The child went unnoticed because she quietly hid under luggage and the legs of a female victim. Police believe she remained in her hiding place for as long as eight hours while police waited for forensic specialists to examine the vehicle and victims.
Police were notified of the brutal killings Wednesday when a British cyclist discovered the vehicle in a parking lot near walking trails. Two women and a man were dead inside the car while another French cyclist was lying dead beside the vehicle. A 9-year-old girl was found barely alive outside the car. She is in critical condition with severe head injuries and a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Authorities say the French cyclist, the male driver and one of the women were all shot in the head. It is unclear how the second woman died.
Officials have not determined the identities of the two girls or the victims inside the car, but it is believed they are all British nationals. The French cyclist has been identified as Sylvain Mollier, a local resident. Investigators believe he was killed because he witnessed the shooting.
The British Foreign Office released a statement saying it is “aware of this tragic incident near Lake Annecy. We are working with the French authorities to confirm that British nationals were involved.” “There are currently consular officials on the ground and providing consular assistance,” a Foreign Office spokesperson added.
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