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Dublin: 12 °C Sunday 26 May, 2013

Alps shooting victim out of coma, talks to police

Seven-year-old Zainab al-Hilli was brought out of her coma on Sunday, police said. She has since spoken to them briefly.

The Surrey home of the French Alps shooting spree victims
The Surrey home of the French Alps shooting spree victims
Image: Steve Parsons/PA Wire/Press Association Images

POLICE ARE COMBING through security camera footage in an attempt to identify the escape route taken after a quadruple murder at a French Alps beauty spot.

Meanwhile, police have briefly spoken to Zainab al-Hilli, the eldest daughter of Saad and Iqbal al-Hilli who were shot dead alongside Mrs al-Hilli’s mother in the Alps last week.

The BBC reports that the seven-year-old was brought out of a coma on Sunday. She had been shot during the attack and also suffered a fractured skull.

Inquiry

As the inquiry grows in complexity – the victims had direct links to four different countries – police in southeastern France have still been unable to trace a dark-coloured 4×4 vehicle spotted near the crime scene.

Officers have also searched woodland and remote hikers’ huts for any trace of the killer. An unnamed British man who alerted police to the shootings is said to have seen a car, and a motorcycle a few minutes later.

“That does not mean that this is necessarily the car involved,” prosecutor Eric Maillaud cautioned however.

Four bunches of flowers next to a pile of stones and some faint chalk marks on the road are now the only sign of the tragic events of last Wednesday.

The scene of the shooting is about 15 minutes’ drive via Chevaline to a road leading to the resort town of Annecy and other major routes.

Gun

The BBC says that police in France say that one gun was used in the attack on the family.

Yesterday, a bomb disposal squad was called to the family home in Surrey due to concerns around items found at the address.

For now, investigators are pinning their hopes on seven-year-old survivor Zainab al-Hilli who has just emerged from a medically-induced coma to help her recover from a fractured skull.

Officers regard her as the key witness after younger sister Zeena, four, was unable to give any information. But it is not yet known how her injuries may have affected her ability to recall the horrific events of last week.

Read: Bomb disposal squad sent to home of French Alps victim>

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Comments (4 Comments)

  • I really hope that that poor child makes a great recovery, but I also hope her injuries do indeed wipe all recollection of what she witnessed from her memory. It’s a lot to hope for. Whatever the reason for the shootings or who did it, those two little girls will live their lives in the shadow of what happened. Hopefully with time, love, support and good people around them they will be able to lead normal lives, but what a terrible, terrible thing to be visited on two little kids.

    Reply
    • hope she makes a full physical recovery, i am not sure a total mental one is possible. I am sure family and friends will do all they can, i am not sure a ‘normal’ life is possible after having your mum, dad and nan ripped from you.

      Reply
    • I hope her injuries don’t Katie! Firstly because the information she could give will (hopefully) lead to the arrest of the animals involved, and secondly because it would (I’d imagine) give her closure, as she was able to do something to bring the killers of her parents to justice!

      Reply
  • I can see where Katie is coming from, it is awful for a 7 year old to have to remember all that, that is way to much for her little mind to bear, I hope that the police in France and the uk can gather enough evidence/clues etc etc that will lead them to the killers of this most awful crime, those poor children have enough to go through without having to relive every moment at this exact time. it will be great if the little girl can give some info into what happened…just a shame two children had to be involved in the first place, so sad.

    Reply

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