Two teenagers arrested after 11-year-old boy found strangled on the banks of the Vilaine in Rennes

Discovery on the riverbank

A fisherman discovered the body of an 11-year-old boy around 4 p.m. on Sunday 24 May 2026, in a wooded area below a bridge over the Vilaine river in central Rennes. The child was in cardiorespiratory arrest with a wet towel tied tightly around his neck, according to the Rennes public prosecutor's office. The fisherman had earlier encountered three young people who asked him for live bait, then saw them head toward a dead-end embankment leading to the river. About half an hour later, he saw two figures fleeing the scene.

Emergency response and arrests

A police patrol was alerted and began cardiac massage, which was continued by firefighters. An ambulance arrived around 5 p.m. and carried on resuscitation efforts, but all attempts by emergency services were in vain. The boy's parents, described as devastated, came to the scene and were attended to by emergency teams. On Monday, police arrested a 16-year-old male, and hours later a 15-year-old girl turned herself in at a police station, where she was also taken into custody.

Witness descriptions

With my headphones on, I hadn't heard anything unusual.

The fisherman described the two people he saw fleeing as a girl of about 14 with dark hair and a taller boy with brown hair wearing a red T-shirt. According to the prosecutor's office, the two teenagers in custody match this description. Police are working to establish the link between the detained minor and the adolescents described by the fisherman.

A neighbourhood in shock

The rue Dupont-des-Loges was deserted on Monday morning as residents expressed disbelief at the violence that had unfolded in their normally quiet area of central Rennes.

We saw the police deployment yesterday and wondered what was going on. We were all shocked when we learned the news.

Legal stakes

Both minors face up to 20 years in prison. The judicial exception of minority could be set aside for the 16-year-old, meaning he could potentially face life imprisonment.

1. May 24, 03:30 PMFisherman encounters three youths who ask for live bait near the Vilaine river.
2. May 24, 04:00 PMFisherman sees two figures fleeing the embankment; boy's body discovered shortly after.
3. Police alerted and begin cardiac massage; firefighters continue resuscitation.
4. May 24, 05:00 PMAmbulance arrives and continues resuscitation; efforts ultimately unsuccessful.
5. May 25, 12:00 AM16-year-old male arrested by police.
6. May 25, 12:00 PM15-year-old girl surrenders at a police station and is taken into custody.