German police are conducting a murder investigation into the murder of a 9-year-old Ukrainian girl, Valeria, whose body was found in a forest near the town of Debeln.
As of now, the German police are considering the involvement of two men in the crime: the mother’s ex-boyfriend and her stalker.
Investigation of the murder of 9-year-old Valeria
Senior prosecutor Ingrid Burghart told reporters that traces are now being searched, witnesses are being questioned and evidence is being analyzed. The investigation suggests that the child was not sexually abused.
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— The girl was dressed. We have hypotheses regarding the motive. Therefore, we also look in the immediate social environment. But at the moment I can't say anything — Burghart said.
As RND notes, she did not say anything else, including the cause of death, due to the possible knowledge of the attacker.
According to the tabloid Bild, investigators are looking at two men. One of them is Valeria's mother's ex-boyfriend, who is probably in the Czech Republic.
It is reported that he contacted the mother on the morning of the girl's disappearance. His mobile phone was registered with a radio point in Debeln, and he was recorded by video surveillance cameras in a neighboring house.
They are also looking for a man aged about 50, who allegedly stalked Valeria's mother.
The media write that it is unclear to what extent this is connected with the case of the deceased Valeria, while the police say that the investigation is ongoing.
Valeria's Disappearance and Death
The disappearance of 9-year-old Ukrainian Valeria in Germany became known on June 3. The girl and her mother arrived in Germany after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The child did not show up for school, and the school did not report her absence. Valeria's disappearance was reported after she did not return from school. Her mother first went looking for her, and then at around 6:25 p.m. she contacted the police.
About 100 emergency services personnel, super-identifiers, and volunteers were involved in the search for the Ukrainian.
On June 9, German police reported that they found 9-year-old Valeria murdered near the city of Debeln, about 3 km from the house where she lived. It was reported that there was little search activity there at first.
