Investigation opened into death and captivity of woman in eastern France

Authorities in Saint-Michel-sur-Meurthe, France, are investigating the death and imprisonment of 70-year-old Liliane Quenec'h-Duval. The investigation began on January 28, 2023, after the local mayor reported her missing, noting she had not been seen for three years. Two sons, aged 39 and 45, and the 45-year-old’s partner have been taken into custody. While the younger son has refused to cooperate, the older son and his partner confessed that the woman was held captive in a room without medical care and with minimal food between October 2022 and late January 2023. The siblings allegedly monitored their mother via a camera linked to their mobile phones. According to statements, the woman’s health deteriorated significantly, with reports suggesting she weighed approximately 30 kilograms at the time of her death. The older brother alleged that his sibling physically mistreated their mother, though official details regarding the disposal of the body vary between reports of concealment in the home and reports of burial in a forest. The public prosecutor of Epinal, Frederic Naon, stated that the suspects provided contradictory and unreliable explanations during the initial questioning.