2023-08-12 08:40:00
The conditions of the disappearance of Stéphane Vitel, principal of the Pierre-Simon de Laplace college in Lisieux, are considered suspicious.
By HR with AFP A principal was found dead in Lisieux, in his college © XOSE BOUZAS / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP Published on 08/12/2023 at 08:40
Pierre-Simon de Laplace college in Lisieux (Calvados) would it have been the victim of a sordid drama? Its principal, Stéphane Vitel, was found dead on Friday August 11 in conditions considered suspicious.
“I’m sure he was attacked,” said Jeanne Mailhos Vitel, his wife, on BFM. She also explains that she saw a car “speed off” before entering the college. “There was light in a college window so there was an intrusion,” she continued.
The director of the establishment was on the road to the holidays, early Friday morning with his family, when he was informed of the triggering of the intrusion alarm in his college. He then went there after turning around, leaving his wife and children in the car, according to France Bleu Normandie who revealed the information.
“We thought it was long. My daughter was getting impatient, she went to see and she found him spread out on the ground… so she came out screaming “he’s on the ground he’s on the ground!” “, continued on BFM his wife who, despite cardiac massage, failed to revive him. “I’m sure he was attacked, a blow to the head I think”. Help was called around 7 a.m. but could not do anything to save him, France Bleu said. An autopsy will be carried out quickly to find out the causes of death, the Lisieux prosecutor’s office told AFP. The Caen judicial police were seized.
A principal close to his students
The principal was very “invested” and “passionate” about his profession, “close to his students, teachers, elected officials and associations”, testified Sébastien Leclerc, mayor (Les Républicains) of Lisieux on BFM. He specified that the college is located in “a priority district of the city but not that complicated”. He did not live in his official accommodation located within the college, the prosecution told France Bleu.
Students went spontaneously Friday in the day in front of the establishment to pay tribute to their principal. In the evening, teachers, college students and parents of students gathered, according to the daily Paris Normandy.
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Mr. Vitel had arrived at the head of this college at the start of the 2022 school year for his twelfth start as principal. In particular, he intended to fight against school bullying. “I join in the pain and emotion of the teachers, students and staff who mourn the death of Stéphane Vitel (…) An investigation is underway. My thoughts and my full support go to his family and his colleagues,” wrote in a message posted on X, formerly Twitter, the Minister of National Education, Gabriel Attal.
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