The father, aged thirty-three, who had been previously under investigation for domestic violence, was apprehended on Tuesday, Dec. 26, following the grim discovery of five deceased individuals, which included his wife and their four children, in their residence on Dec. 25, 2023.
Among the deceased were a baby and a four-year-old, tragically sealing their fate in what appears to be a gruesome incident in Meaux, located northeast of Paris.
“Five lifeless bodies were found – two boys and two girls – leading to an investigation into their murders,” stated local prosecutor Jean-Baptiste Bladier on Tuesday.
“The prime suspect is the father, aged thirty-three, who was found on Tuesday at a house nearby, after going on the run.”
Phone geolocation data indicated that the man left the family flat at approximately 8.07pm on Christmas Day.
He then visited his father in nearby Sevran, and later went to his grandmother’s house in Garges-lès-Gonesse.
The lifeless bodies of the children, aged 10, seven, four, and nine months, were discovered in the family flat alongside their mother.
The French authorities have not yet released the names of the victims or the arrested suspect.
“There were a very large number of stab wounds on both the front and back sides, on the trunk, lower and upper limbs as well as defense cuts,” described Mr. Bladier.
“Two other victims, the four-year-old boy and the nine-month-old baby, had no apparent wounds,” added Mr. Bladier.
This led to the early theory that they had died from drowning or suffocation according to the prosecutor.
An investigative source indicated that the arrested man was already known for acts of domestic violence and for suffering from psychiatric disorders.
In 2019, he was investigated for domestic violence, which included an assault on his wife with a knife.