2023-08-12 11:22:00
An investigation was entrusted to the judicial police after the suspicious death of the principal of a college in Lisieux (Calvados), found dead Friday morning in his establishment, we learned on Saturday from the prosecution.
It is a “suspicious death” and “the PJ is seized”, told AFP the public prosecutor of Lisieux Delphine Mienniel.
The autopsy of the body is to be performed soon. Asked whether it would take place on Saturday as several media reported, the magistrate did not confirm this date.
No weapon was found at the scene, a police source said, noting that it is not known what happened between the triggering of the alarm and the discovery of the principal at 6:50 a.m. by his daughter, .
The principal, Stéphane Vitel, was leaving on vacation with his family early Friday morning when he was informed that the security alarm had gone off at the Pierre-Simon de Laplace college where he worked. He therefore turned around to check the cause of this alarm.
As he entered the college, his wife and children were waiting for him in the car. They worried after a while not to see him return.
“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! +”, explained on BFM his wife, Jeanne Mailhos Vitel, who, despite cardiac massage, failed to revive him.
“I’m sure he was attacked, a blow to the head I think”, she added, also explaining having seen a car “go with a bang” before entering the college.
“There was light in a college window so there was an intrusion,” she continued.
Help was called around 7:00 a.m. but could not do anything to save him, France Bleu said.
“Empathetic”
“He was a very friendly, smiling and empathetic person. Always attentive to students, parents of students and teachers. He was in the compromise”, declared to an AFP correspondent the mayor of Lisieux, Sébastien Leclerc (The Republicans).
“I met him in 2018, when he arrived at the college of Livarot (his previous college). I was delighted to be able to benefit from his proofessionnalism. He was also very invested in public life”, underlined the ‘elected.
“Dying at 49 is young,” lamented Mr. Leclerc, adding that a tribute would be paid to the deceased in agreement with his family.
The principal 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 Normandie.
Bouquets of flowers were placed on barriers blocking the entrance to the college, according to an AFP photographer on the spot.
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 to his colleagues”, wrote in a message posted on X, formerly Twitter, the Minister of National Education, Gabriel Attal.
“Mr. Vitel was a management staff committed and attentive to the success of the students”, wrote in a press release the management of the college. “A listening unit will be set up for the students of the college from the start of the school year”.
08/12/2023 11:20:40 – Lisieux (France) (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
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