Tunisia – Gabes: prosecution investigating suspicious death of 15-year-old girl

The public prosecutor at the Court of First Instance of Gabes reported on Monday evening that an inquiry has been authorized into the death of a 15-year-old girl from Al-Hamma, who was hospitalized at Gabès University Hospital.

The statement stated that the General Prosecutor’s Office had allowed the body of the deceased to be presented to the medical examiner at Gabès University Hospital for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Further, the public prosecutor has authorized the start of an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the aforementioned minor. An investigating judge has been tasked to pursue the investigation against any people that may emerge from the findings, in compliance with Chapter 31 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

It is important to emphasise that the deceased was a ninth-grade student at an educational establishment in Al Hamma. On January 17, 2024, she and a peer ingested a substance intended for rat control, based on initial investigations. They were promptly brought to Gabès University Hospital for required medical attention. While her peer was discharged the same day, the deceased remained in the hospital from that date.