This mother of two children, beautician, has not given any sign of life since November 3. The investigation initially opened for “disturbing disappearance” was reclassified on Saturday for “kidnapping and sequestration”.
A more than worrying disappearance. Mélodie Mendes da Silva, a 34-year-old beautician and mother of two children, has not given any sign of life to her family since Friday November 3 in Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône). Her companion reported her disappearance three days later, on November 6, according to the Marseille prosecutor’s office.
The investigation was reclassified Friday for “kidnapping and sequestration”, AFP learned on Saturday from the prosecution. It is led by an investigating judge, as part of a judicial investigation opened since Tuesday. Franceinfo takes stock of what we know about his disappearance.
The hypothesis of voluntary departure deemed not credible by those close to him
According to video surveillance images, Mélodie left her home in the 4th arrondissement of Marseille on November 3 at the end of the afternoon, dressed in simple black jogging pants and flip-flops, without her handbag, as if she was absent for a short period of time. “It never happened to him to leave and not give any news”assured his sister Melissa Mendes da Silva, during a support march organized on Saturday in the streets of the Marseille city.
“The last message I received from her was at 5:50 p.m.”, explained Pearl Rocha, her companion, to France 3 Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur. Mélodie’s last geolocation, according to her phone, dates back to the same day, at 7:24 p.m., a few kilometers from her home, in the 11th arrondissement. “She doesn’t know anyone there and has nothing in particular to do there (…) This neighborhood is far from where she lives and she was therefore not able to go there on foot. She may be ride with someone in a car, but why?”questions his brother, Patrick Tavares, also interviewed by France 3.
An investigation reclassified for “kidnapping and sequestration”
Ten days after Mélodie, mother of a 15-year-old girl and a 9-year-old son according to France 3, disappeared, a judicial investigation was opened to “disturbing disappearance” by the Marseille public prosecutor’s office. “The fact that she left with nothing and that she is a mother is disturbing enough to open a judicial investigation to find this young woman as quickly as possible”, explained the public prosecutor of Marseille, Nicolas Bessonne, to France 3 Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur. The investigation has since been reclassified to “kidnapping and sequestration”.
“If a person disappears suddenly, for no apparent reason, if we cannot limit their phone, if we cannot have traceability of their bank card, and if the report of the disappearance is made more or less late, then it becomes worrying”, estimates Bruno Bartocetti, regional secretary of the Unité-SGP Police union, to France 3. The investigators have also “started questioning some people” according to Patrick Tavares, and concentrate their research on video surveillance and telephony.
A family mobilized to find her
Around 200 people, including family members, marched in the streets of Marseille on Saturday. Having left the town hall, the demonstrators joined the police headquarters with, printed on their t-shirts, the wanted notice posted for several days in the streets and the Marseille metro. “We could go crazy, frankly. I manage to keep my spirits up, to keep my head up because I have the children behind, but it’s not easy”confides the young woman’s companion.
Since her disappearance, Mélodie’s family has been combing the streets of France’s second city and posting wanted notices. “I contacted the press, influencers, friends of friends, etc. Everyone was involved in widely publicizing the disappearance and it gained momentum”details Patrick Tavares, the young woman’s brother, to France 3. His family had organized a hunt upstream of the march, along a canal, below the place where his phone was blocked. “We keep hope, we don’t give up and we will continue to look for her”argued Pearl Rocha.