** Italian authorities seized dozens of alcohol bottles, glasses, and the clothing of 20-year-old volleyball player Simona Cinà from a villa in Bagheria on August 4th, two days after her body was discovered in a swimming pool during a graduation party. This contradicts initial claims by Cinà’s family that no alcohol was present, a position refuted by prosecutors earlier this week.
The seizure inventory, detailed in the Carabinieri report, included Simona’s clothes, the swimsuit she was wearing, five bottles of gin, six bottles of spritz, 12 bottles of sparkling wine, and several beach towels and garments. The family was formally notified of the seizure’s validation during questioning on Tuesday.
The autopsy, scheduled for Thursday at Palermo’s Policlinico hospital, is now seen as pivotal. It aims to determine the cause of death for the young athlete, who drowned in the villa’s pool last Saturday. Her family, including her twin sister and older brother, expressed profound confusion, stating Simona was a strong swimmer in excellent health who underwent regular medical checks for competitive sports. They await crucial answers from the autopsy.
Prosecutors in Termini Imerese, investigating potential involuntary manslaughter, currently favor the hypothesis of a sudden medical episode or accidental drowning without third-party intent. Fellow partygoers present told Carabinieri the evening was “calm,” that “no one noticed what happened” to Simona, and that two youths immediately dove in fully clothed upon seeing her at the bottom of the pool. Attempts to resuscitate her before emergency services arrived were unsuccessful.
Initial forensic exams at the Policlinico on Tuesday involved a CT scan and X-rays to detect fractures, internal bleeding, or underlying conditions. Reports suggest these were inconclusive, prompting prosecutors to order an additional MRI.
Anatomopathologist Tommaso D’Anna will perform Thursday’s autopsy, focusing on whether water was present in the lungs (indicating drowning) or if another cause of death exists. The victim’s family will have a private expert present, appointed by their lawyers. Full toxicology and histology results, expected in 45 days, are required to complete the forensic picture. “We hope to have some answers, we are waiting, we can’t do anything else,” stated Simona’s brother Gabriele.
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