Trial of the death of Fiona: "I am too ashamed to have lied", declares Cécile Bourgeon

What happened between May 12, 2013, the date of Fiona's disappearance and September 25, that of Cécile Bourgeon's confession?

During these four months of investigation, the mother and her companion Berkane Makhlouf followed with application lies, cover-ups and manipulations.

"Throughout this phase, they multiplied the strategies to convince the investigators of the thesis of the kidnapping of Fiona", explains the commissioner Clément Maurice, called this Wednesday at the bar of the Assize Court of the Rhône in Lyon who is on appeal against the couple for "aggravated fatal blows" on the 5-year-old girl.

When Cécile Bourgeon gives the alert of the disappearance of her eldest daughter on Sunday, May 12 at the end of the afternoon in a park in Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme), very large police forces are deployed.

A helicopter flies over the area, satellite images are analyzed, a hundred police officers comb the park and its surroundings, sniffer dogs and divers are mobilized, the files of sex offenders and those of bracelet wearers are explored ...

"At the start, we set off on this track," admits François Bernard, director of the Clermont-Ferrand regional PJ at the helm.

To allow the dogs to track the girl, Cécile Bourgeon will even give the cynophile squad the child's blanket… It was actually her little sister Eva's plush toy, intended to deceive the flair of police dogs.

"One more maneuver to bring truth to their lies, they have gone after that", analyzes François Bernard.

"After a while, you convince yourself"

During the same period, Cécile Bourgeon, a grieving mother, gives interviews to televisions begging the police to find her daughter.

But rather quickly, the team becomes convinced that there was no kidnapping and places the couple on wiretaps.

The surveillance will again give rise to “real plays” according to the president of the Assize Court, Eric Chalbos.

We hear Cécile Bourgeon declare in June: "I can't wait for the cops to find Fiona and to resume a happy life."

"In August:" The lawyer must organize a new TV interview so that people do not forget.

Berkane Mahklouf is not left out.

"Let us get our money back […] Nobody helps us, it's despicable", dares Fiona's father-in-law.

"These exchanges are part of the continuity of their strategy which consists in lying systematically to cover up something inconceivable", summarizes François Bernard.

Investigators understood that Fiona had not been abducted and that the couple were covering up the truth.

"So why wait until September to question them?"

»Asks Me Renaud Portejoie, historical lawyer, with his father Gilles-Jean, of Cécile Bourgeon.

"Because she was pregnant, police custody was difficult to reconcile," explains Commissioner Clément Maurice.

On September 25, Cécile Bourgeon confesses and explains that her daughter was found dead in her bed after beatings given by Makhlouf before being buried in the forest.

"I am too ashamed to have lied and acted in the police services, declares in court the accused who appears free.

It only made the situation worse.

But after a while, you convince yourself.

After the police custody, I was relieved.

It took a load off me.

This Wednesday again, Cécile Bourgeon maintained that the child was buried in the forest of Lake Aydat.

Can we still believe her?

"No child professional has observed abuse"

At the time, the search, by the police and the army, of an area of ​​300 km2, gave nothing.

"Fiona has never been buried in this sector of the lake, it's impossible," assures Commissioner Maurice.

His conviction?

The body was thrown in a trash can, "to avoid a forensic report on the beatings received by the child".

Newsletter - Most of the news

Every morning, the news seen by Le Parisien

I'm registering

Your email address is collected by Le Parisien to enable you to receive our news and commercial offers.

Learn more

A version rejected by the new lawyer of Berkane Makhlouf.

"No childcare professional has observed any abuse of Fiona," asserts Me Jean-Félix Luciani.

Neither the nurse, nor the school doctor, nor the teacher… There was no report to social services.

"