French police have opened a murder investigation after the remains of five infants were found in a couple's home in Orange, southeastern France. The discovery was made after the 32-year-old woman gave birth at home, according to prosecutors.
The woman’s partner, also 32, told investigators he was unaware of the pregnancy until a late stage. After learning of it, he searched the home and found what appeared to be human remains in cardboard boxes. He alerted hospital staff, who then informed prosecutors. According to a source close to the investigation, the woman's pregnancy was described as a third concealed or unrecognized pregnancy.
A forensic doctor concluded the remains belonged to five infants. The remains included a decomposing body of one infant and skeletal remains of four others. Investigators have ordered an autopsy on the decomposing body and anthropological analysis on the skeletal remains. The investigation concerns 'murder of minors under the age of 15,' according to a source.
The mother remains hospitalized and has not been questioned. The man was questioned voluntarily by investigators. He told them he was unaware of his partner's previous pregnancies. It was not immediately clear whether the mother had legal representation.
The couple had two children aged 8 and 9, according to a source. Neighbor Florent Jean told AFP that the children attended the local primary school and the mother would pick them up for lunch, while according to a source, the partner appeared to be away at work all day. The couple's two children were referred to child welfare services, and a temporary protection order was issued for the newborn.
The sequence of events leading to the discovery is disputed. One account says the woman was arguing with her partner over the contents of the boxes when she complained of abdominal pain and was taken to hospital, after which her partner discovered the remains. Another says the partner brought what appeared to be a decomposed infant body to the hospital, prompting medical staff to alert prosecutors. According to one source, the partner was not at home when she went to the hospital.
Outside the couple's second-floor flat, bicycles were propped against stair railings, and the door was sealed with red tape. The partner was described as distressed after finding out about the pregnancy at a very late stage, despite her repeated denials.