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A picture of the missing girl, Maelys. Gendarmerie Nationale via PA Images

Two suspects freed over girl's disappearance at French wedding

Both men had been held over inconsistencies in their statements.

FRENCH INVESTIGATORS HAVE released two suspects held in connection with the mysterious disappearance of a nine-year-old girl who vanished during a wedding in the Alps nearly a week ago.

Maelys de Araujo was last seen in the early hours of Sunday at a community hall where the wedding was held in Pont-de-Beauvoisin, a village some 50 kilometres north of Grenoble.

According to a source close to the investigation, the two suspects, both 34-year-old men who knew each other and were friends of the groom, were released yesterday evening.

Both had been held over inconsistencies in their statements.

“The investigation is ongoing,” the source said, without further comment.

Investigators suspect that the little girl with dark brown hair and eyes, who was attending the wedding with her parents, was kidnapped.

Scores of police, search and rescue teams, divers and cavers have spent the week trawling through the heavily wooded area for signs of her.

More than 1,000 people have registered via Facebook to join in a massive search on Saturday in the area surrounding the town, which will be coordinated by local police.

Police have interviewed about 250 people since Sunday, including most of the 180 guests at the wedding, as well as several others who attended parties held the same night at a nearby bar and church hall.

Sniffer dogs lost the scent from Maelys’s cuddly toy in a car park outside the venue, raising fears she was kidnapped and whisked away by car.

“We’re getting farther and farther away from the site of the disappearance,” a source close to the inquiry told AFP. “We still think that she was probably taken away in a vehicle.”

Police chief Yves Marzin said authorities are also examining photos and videos taken that day, as well as all calls to the area.

“It is like looking for a needle in a haystack, extremely tedious work but important,” he said.

© – AFP 2017

Read: Man arrested over disappearance of nine-year-old girl from Alps wedding

Read: Frantic search for nine-year-old girl who vanished from French wedding

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    Mute Damocles
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    Oct 26th 2018, 7:14 PM

    Piers Morgan doesn’t seem to mind being called a wnaker if it means a 50 quid donation for fighting cancer.

    Which seems quite reasonable of him.

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    Mute Dáithí O Raghailaigh
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    Oct 26th 2018, 7:14 PM

    I do it for nothing . he’s a NOB

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    Mute Pixie McMullen
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    Oct 26th 2018, 7:15 PM

    I just insulted Piers Morgan for free, after you call him a #megabollox or a #giantdouche, simply tell him you donated 50 quid.

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    Mute Keith O'Reilly
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    Oct 26th 2018, 8:11 PM

    Amazing, and for a good cause too!

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    Mute Dermot Quinn
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    Oct 26th 2018, 8:33 PM

    Well done everyone for completely killing the craic here.

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    Mute Kenneth Hayden
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    Oct 27th 2018, 12:55 AM

    @Dermot Quinn:
    It’s our culture,Boss.

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    Mute Tom Molloy
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    Oct 26th 2018, 8:24 PM

    Twitter can give an outlet for so much that would go unnoticed. Or unreported like.
    “Ahhh so nice. They want our protections with billions for NATO but wanted to spend billions with those they want protection from. @realDonaldTrump said that doesn’t work for the US and got what he wanted.
    It’s so nice to have an actual leader… one with common sense & resolve!”

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Oct 26th 2018, 8:46 PM

    @Tom Molloy: you know quotes don’t work unless you say who you’re quoting right? PS given recent developments in Saudi this wouldn’t be the best quote about Trump to use.

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    Mute Cathal Flood
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    Oct 26th 2018, 8:57 PM

    @Tom Molloy: ah Tom, Tom, you sad sad yoke, nobody cares about your fixation on don turnip anymore, we all know what your purpose is and it’s so so failing and so low IQ, (see what I did there

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    Mute JustOneScoop
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    Oct 26th 2018, 7:57 PM

    I promote this. That man is a self serving pig

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