The Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office in Palermo has opened an investigation, led by police, into the death of an 11-year-old girl. The child was brought to Buccheri La Ferla hospital in critical condition by family members and later died. She was found with gasoline-soaked clothing and marks on her neck. Prosecutors ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death and have interviewed the parents. The family resides in a semi-peripheral area of Palermo, with the Mobile Squad leading the inquiry.
The girl’s body was transferred to the forensic medicine institute at Policlinico hospital for autopsy. Reports indicate she had a history of drug-resistant epileptic seizures and multiple hospitalizations at Palermo’s Children’s Hospital. Her mother and her mother’s partner brought her to the hospital and were subsequently questioned by police. The parents are separated; the father was notified and rushed to the hospital. The deceased lived with her mother, the mother’s partner, and younger siblings.
While initial findings reportedly rule out homicide—prompting prosecutors to open a file for non-criminal acts—the autopsy will establish the definitive cause of death. The 31-year-old mother, who has four other minor children, and her partner (who was not home at the time) were interrogated. The girl reportedly suffered from severe encephalitis and paralysis alongside epilepsy. The autopsy will investigate whether death resulted from natural causes or accidental gasoline ingestion, possibly administered by a younger sibling. Neck marks may stem from a botched rescue attempt.
Police and prosecutors also interviewed neighbors alerted by the mother’s calls for help. The family occupied a run-down residence near the central station. Pending investigation results, juvenile authorities have transferred the other children to a group home. The girl’s single-story house has been sealed. Neighbors reported police spent several hours inside overnight but knew no further details. Officers discovered and seized a small gasoline bottle in the apartment. No residents reported witnessing the incident or the hospital dash.
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