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Conspiracy theorists led family to death in Switzerland | Conspiracy theorists led family to death in Switzerland |
(2 days later) | |
The family had moved to Switzerland from France two years before the tragedy | The family had moved to Switzerland from France two years before the tragedy |
Adults who led their family to their deaths in Switzerland planned the event, Swiss investigators say. | |
The case, which shocked Switzerland, will now be closed. | The case, which shocked Switzerland, will now be closed. |
Police have ruled out any outside intervention, and say the adults, who moved to Switzerland from France two years earlier, gave no sign they were considering suicide. | Police have ruled out any outside intervention, and say the adults, who moved to Switzerland from France two years earlier, gave no sign they were considering suicide. |
Four of the family died on 24 March last year in Montreux. | Four of the family died on 24 March last year in Montreux. |
An eight-year-old girl, a 15-year-old boy, their father and mother, and the mother's twin sister fell from their seventh floor apartment. | An eight-year-old girl, a 15-year-old boy, their father and mother, and the mother's twin sister fell from their seventh floor apartment. |
The boy was in a coma but has now recovered from his serious injuries. He has no memory of that day, investigators say. | The boy was in a coma but has now recovered from his serious injuries. He has no memory of that day, investigators say. |
Forensic evidence revealed no sign of a struggle before the deaths, and autopsies showed no trace of drugs. | Forensic evidence revealed no sign of a struggle before the deaths, and autopsies showed no trace of drugs. |
After a year of investigation, the Swiss authorities now say the mother of the family, and her sister, were deeply involved in survivalist and conspiracy theories. | After a year of investigation, the Swiss authorities now say the mother of the family, and her sister, were deeply involved in survivalist and conspiracy theories. |
After the deaths, police found their apartment full of food, medicines, and hygiene materials, carefully stored and organised. The family rarely went out, and the children were home-schooled. | After the deaths, police found their apartment full of food, medicines, and hygiene materials, carefully stored and organised. The family rarely went out, and the children were home-schooled. |
The two women had a deep-seated suspicion of government and local authorities, investigators say, and had brought up the children to believe that the world was a hostile place. | The two women had a deep-seated suspicion of government and local authorities, investigators say, and had brought up the children to believe that the world was a hostile place. |
The Covid-19 pandemic, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, had only served to strengthen their conviction. | The Covid-19 pandemic, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, had only served to strengthen their conviction. |
Searches of the apartment and of electronic devices revealed the collective suicide had been carefully planned, and even rehearsed. | Searches of the apartment and of electronic devices revealed the collective suicide had been carefully planned, and even rehearsed. |
The adults were apparently waiting, the police report says, for the right moment to depart for what they believed would be a better world, away from the one they feared. | The adults were apparently waiting, the police report says, for the right moment to depart for what they believed would be a better world, away from the one they feared. |
Tragically, what appears to have triggered their decision was a welfare visit from Montreux police. | Tragically, what appears to have triggered their decision was a welfare visit from Montreux police. |
They stopped by that morning to remind the father to go to a meeting with local education authorities to discuss the home-schooling of his son, after he had not answered several letters. | They stopped by that morning to remind the father to go to a meeting with local education authorities to discuss the home-schooling of his son, after he had not answered several letters. |
They did not let the police in, and were dead minutes later. | They did not let the police in, and were dead minutes later. |
On Tuesday, the Swiss authorities appealed for privacy for the surviving son. | On Tuesday, the Swiss authorities appealed for privacy for the surviving son. |
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised, you can visit the BBC's Action Line pages, or contact Samaritans. | If you have been affected by any of the issues raised, you can visit the BBC's Action Line pages, or contact Samaritans. |
Related Topics | Related Topics |
Switzerland | Switzerland |
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