Tragic Kidnapping & Murder of 7-Yr-Old Child Shock Mauritius

On Saturday morning, November 30, the island of Mauritius woke up to the heartbreaking news of a brutal crime that has left the community in shock. Élodie Kathalea Gaspard, a seven-year-old girl, was abducted, sexually assaulted, and murdered by a man named Alan Ramborough in Bain-des-Dames.

The tragedy unfolded on the evening of November 29, when Élodie, who was vacationing with her grandmother, went missing after going to the bathroom.

When she did not return, her family grew increasingly concerned.

Élodie’s grandmother, Christine, alerted relatives before contacting the police to report her granddaughter’s disappearance.

Law enforcement, including the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of Port-Louis Sud, quickly mobilized to search for the young girl.

Search efforts, assisted by sniffer dogs, intensified throughout the night in the areas of Bain-des-Dames and Sable-Noire.

Despite the late hour, the authorities remained determined to locate Élodie alive.

The investigation took a grim turn in the early hours of Saturday, November 30, when police apprehended Alan Ramborough, a 32-year-old man with a criminal history.

Defi Media sources close to the investigation revealed that he was one of the last individuals seen with Élodie before her disappearance.

Around 5 a.m., Ramborough confessed to his heinous actions to the police, although he initially attempted to deny involvement.

He admitted to luring Élodie from her grandmother’s house and taking her to a secluded area beneath a bridge near a cemetery, where he assaulted her.

“She was trying to escape,” he reportedly told officers, recounting how he attacked her multiple times before she fell to the ground.

He later placed her body in a wooded area and covered it with leaves before leaving the scene.

The police located Élodie’s body after Ramborough guided them to the crime scene.

On Saturday afternoon, November 30, an autopsy was performed at the Dr. A.G. Jeetoo Hospital, revealing that seven-year-old Élodie Kathalea Gaspard died from “asphyxia by choking.”

According to authorities, she was suffocated with leaves, likely to muffle her cries during the horrific attack.

Clothing belonging to Élodie was found near the location where her body was discovered, and officers also secured the attire worn by the suspect at the time of the crime.

In addition to leaves, dirt was recovered during the post-mortem examination.

Alan Ramborough, the primary suspect in this tragic case, was transferred to the Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT) following his confession, officially recorded in a police diary.

However, Ramborough, a resident of La Butte, Port-Louis, required hospital observation due to a broken arm sustained during a confrontation with individuals shortly after the crime.

Once treated, he remained under police custody, facing charges of murder, sexual assault of a minor, and kidnapping.

Ramborough, known to law enforcement for several past offenses, including theft, had been released on bail prior to this incident.

His lifestyle, marked by substance abuse and troubling behavior, was well-known in his community.

Anaëlle, Élodie’s mother, expressed her incomprehension and anguish, saying, “I do not understand why he would do this to my child.”

She explained that Élodie had been visiting her grandmother, where the family had always welcome the young girl.

Anaëlle lamented the loss and called for justice, sharing that Ramborough had previously been married to one of her sisters-in-law, which may have led to Élodie feeling comfortable enough to accompany him.

Christine, Élodie’s grandmother, reported the child’s disappearance to the police on the night of November 29.

After Élodie went to the bathroom and did not return, Christine feared the worst.

In her account, she noted that Élodie had said, “Grandma, I’m going to the toilet,” but when she failed to come back, Christine raised the alarm.

The police quickly initiated search procedures, with family and neighbors joining in on the efforts that extended from nearby hills to Sable-Noire beach.

The police investigation was aided by surveillance footage from the Safe City initiative, which captured images of Élodie with Ramborough as they entered a thicket.

When relatives went to check on Ramborough at his home in La Butte, he was not there.

Search crews, equipped with sniffer dogs, scoured the surrounding neighborhoods, tirelessly searching until they located Ramborough around 4 a.m., just hours before Élodie’s body was discovered in a wooded area at Les Salines.

As news of this tragic case spread, Arianne Navarre-Marie, Minister for Gender Equality and Family Welfare, voiced her profound shock and disappointment regarding the incident.

She expressed concern that previous alarming social media posts about Ramborough had not prompted any intervention by authorities.

“Enough is enough. I am closely monitoring the situation with the police, the family, and the hospital,” she stated.

During her visit to the grieving family on Saturday November 30, Minister Navarre-Marie highlighted the underlying social issues, including alcohol and drug abuse, which often contribute to such tragic outcomes.

She emphasized the importance of addressing these root problems to prevent similar tragedies involving vulnerable children in the future.

As the investigation continues and the nation mourns the loss of Élodie Kathalea Gaspard, the call for justice and preventive measures grows stronger within the community.

Source: Defi Media