In a case that could potentially have widespread ramifications, a French mother is suing a couple who filmed her drunken son before he sadly drowned.
Sylvie Zecca has said that she wishes to make an example of the onlookers, and has accused them of breaking French law.
Zecca, a former police officer, is suing the pair under a section of the French criminal code whereby individuals are required to help a person in danger, and “non-assistance à personne en danger” carries both a civil and criminal liability. If found guilty, a person could be subject to a fine of up to €75,000 and/or up to five years in jail.
Sylvie Zecca is set to sue two passersby who filmed her drunk son before his death
Sylvie’s 19-year-old son Vincent went missing after a night out in the French city of Bordeaux in March 2012. His body was found three weeks later by police divers in the Garonne river.
An investigation found that Vincent had died by accidental drowning, after slipping into the river while intoxicated.
Missing posters handed out in the weeks after Vincent’s disappearance
A couple, who have not been named, told police they had seen the young man before his accident. Instead of helping, they apparently laughed and filmed Vincent on a smartphone before watching him walk away.
Speaking to French journalists, Zecca explained why she was taking the case, saying: “I’m not seeking punishment, just that they be made to face up to their responsibilities.”
The grieving mother viewed the video, and said her son was “being inoffensive”, adding that: “He was only asking to return home.”
