Disappearance of Lina: more than four months later, her mother “remains hopeful”

Europe 1 with AFP 5:03 p.m., February 2, 2024

More than four months after the disappearance of Lina in Alsace, the mother of the 15-year-old teenager said she "keeps hope" on Friday, while expressing her "frustration" the day after a meeting with the two judges of instructions responsible for the investigation. “That’s what makes me get up every morning. I have no choice but to keep hope,” Fanny Groll testified at a press conference. “I would like to know, to understand,” she continued, confiding that she “thinks all the time”. She and her lawyer, Matthieu Airoldi, repeated their “frustration” at not being kept more informed about the investigation.

The teenager disappeared on September 23 after leaving her home in Plaine (Bas-Rhin) to go to the Saint-Blaise-la-Roche station, about three kilometers away. The investigation into his disappearance was first carried out by the Saverne public prosecutor's office, which then transferred responsibility to the Strasbourg public prosecutor's office. A judicial investigation was opened against X for "kidnapping and sequestration not followed by voluntary release of more than seven days".

“Explanations” requested on “the dismissal of the rape complaint”

Me Airoldi also criticized the Saverne public prosecutor's office for the handling of a complaint from Lina, fifteen months before her disappearance. In June 2022, Lina, then aged 13 and a half, filed a complaint for acts described as “gang rape”. Me Airoldi asked the Saverne public prosecutor's office for "explanations", both "on the dismissal of the complaint" and "on the fact that Lina's disappearance leads to a re-examination of the complaint". Believing that the procedure was "poorly conducted", he announced that his client was going to file a complaint with a civil action, which will result in referral to an investigating judge.

Fanny Groll said she felt "betrayed" when she learned of this dismissal even though she thought the case was still ongoing. “By not acting, they did not protect her, even though at 13 and a half years old she really needed the justice system to protect her.” Fanny Groll also filed a complaint against a YouTuber who poured "torrents of filth" against her, according to her counsel. Me Airoldi appealed to the Saverne public prosecutor's office "so that this complaint is followed up".

Lina's mother confided that she had not returned to work since her daughter's disappearance and no longer left the house. Addressing her daughter, she said: "Fight, hang on, come back quickly. I love you."