The Reims general prosecutor's office announced on Monday that it would appeal against the prison sentences imposed on the stepfather and the mother of little "Tony", who died at the age of three from beatings in November 2016.
On February 5, the Assize Court of Marne had condemned the father-in-law of the child Loïc Vantal to 20 years of criminal imprisonment for "violence resulting in death without intention of giving it to a minor of 15 years" and "Usual violence", a two-thirds security sentence and a socio-educational follow-up of 7 years.
His lawyer, Me David Scribe, then expressed his “satisfaction”, considering that this verdict was also “a relief for him”.
The mother of the little boy, Caroline Letoile, had for her part been sentenced to four years' imprisonment, one of which was suspended for "non-denunciation of ill-treatment" and "non-assistance to a person in danger".
A petition to put pressure on
From February 11, a petition signed by more than 33,000 people and relayed by the daily L'Union asked the public prosecutor to appeal "as soon as possible", denouncing "the incomprehensible weakness of the sentences handed down".
The Advocate General had requested him "the conviction of the two accused to the maximum penalties incurred or 30 years of criminal imprisonment for the accused Vantal and five years of imprisonment for the accused Letoile".
"Their sentence to 20 years of criminal imprisonment and 4 years of imprisonment decided the general prosecutor to appeal against this decision", announced Monday the general prosecutor in a statement.
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Death of little Tony: at the bar, the mother and her companion refuse to take responsibility for their actions
The tragedy dates back to November 26, 2016, around 3:30 p.m., when the Reims firefighters responded to the call of a 19-year-old mother to rescue her son who, according to her, lost consciousness following a fall.
The rescuers then note that the child, in a "particularly serious condition", presents "many bruises on the body".
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Shortly after 5 p.m., Tony dies on his arrival at the pediatric emergency department of the CHU de Reims, where a doctor notices traces of punches in the stomach.
The autopsy will show that the child has succumbed to a burst of the spleen and pancreas dating back 48 hours.
The report also notes numerous traumatic injuries to the face and body of the small victim, as well as several broken ribs, old and recent.
