The Roussillon city of Perpignan is immersed in consternation after the shocking news of the "murder" of Imran, a child of only 7 years old. The little boy was found dead with "parts of his body frozen," and for now the authorities have charged his father, Salim B., 28, for this horrendous crime. In addition, he is accused of "attempted murder" of his two daughters and the little boy's sisters, Lila and Houria, 3 and 4 years old, respectively.
The tragedy was discovered on September 14, 2023, when police were sent to the family home following a 112 call from a worker at a local funeral home. The law enforcement officers arrived at 30 Emile-Roudayre Street, in the Bas-Vernet neighborhood. On the fourth floor of the Peupliers building, they discovered the unimaginable: "A 7-year-old boy who was lying lifeless in the bathtub, part of his body frozen and covered with traces of blows," say police sources collected by L'Independant. . According to the AFP agency, several agents who went to the apartment needed psychological treatment after the discovery. The details of this atrocious event have shocked the people of Perpignan and generated a national commotion in France.
The prosecutor of the Republic, Jean-David Cavaillé, announced this Saturday the opening of a judicial investigation and revealed that the medical examinations carried out on the two girls, during their father's detention, show multiple injuries on their bodies and faces. The two minors remain hospitalized in a city hospital. He is also accused of "forgery and use of a false administrative document for the purpose of procuring impunity for the perpetrator of a crime."
"It is an unimaginable tragedy," said Marie Dupont, a neighbor of the affected family. "We have lived on the same street for years, and we would never have imagined something like this. The children were always so happy and playful," a neighbor explained to BFTV. The news has been closely followed throughout the country, and Imran's name has resonated in every corner of France.
In addition to the father, the investigation also points to two family members, the paternal uncle and grandmother, aged 33 and 61 respectively, accused of "not reporting the crime", which has generated even more confusion in the country. According to police sources reported by some French media, the grandmother "would have provided contradictory explanations" to the authorities, which led to her arrest on September 15, a day after the discovery of the lifeless body of her grandson.
After being detained for interrogation, the minor's father, uncle and paternal grandmother were brought before the Perpignan prosecutor's office this Saturday. The three arrived escorted by the police. For his part, the prosecutor has already requested the preventive detention of the father and uncle, as well as judicial control for the grandmother.
While the investigation continues. Prosecutor Cavaillé authorized psychological support through the France Victimes 66 association to the maternal grandmother and the children's mother.
