four French people from the same family died after falling from the 7th floor of a building in Montreux

Local authorities speak of a “family drama.” Four members of the same family died after falling from the seventh floor of a building, from the balcony of an apartment in Montreux (Switzerland), announced a press release from the canton of Vaud, Thursday March 24. The victims are all of French nationality: a 40-year-old man, his 41-year-old wife, her twin sister and the couple’s 8-year-old daughter. “The 15-year-old son is hospitalized in serious condition”continues the press release.

According to initial investigations, two gendarmes had gone to their home “to execute an arrest warrant issued by the prefecture in connection with the home schooling of a child”. “The gendarmes knocked on the door and heard a voice asking them who was there. After announcing themselves, the gendarmes then heard no more noise in the apartment” and left the place.

In the meantime, a witness had called the Centrale vaudoise de police (CVP), around 7 a.m., “to report that people had fallen from the balcony of an apartment”continues the press release.

According to the spokesperson for the Vaud cantonal police, Jean-Christophe Sauterel, it is “visibly”after hearing the gendarmes at the door, “that the decision was made by this family to launch down the balcony from the 7th floor”he said at the microphone of the Swiss public radio RTS.

An investigation has been opened by the Swiss justice system, which has entrusted the investigations to the investigators of the security police, in order to determine the exact circumstances and the reasons for this tragedy, continue the authorities.