The body of eight-year-old
murder victim Loris Stival will be released to the family on
Wednesday for burial, a local prosecutor said on Tuesday.
The announcement came after a medical examiner completed an
autopsy of the boy, whose body was found in a canal four
kilometers from his home in the southern Sicilian town of Santa
Croce Camerina on November 29.
The funeral could be held on Thursday or Friday.
The boy's mother, 26-year-old Veronica Panarello, is the
main suspect in the case although on Tuesday investigators said
they were considering the possibility of an accomplice.
Panarello was detained last Tuesday on charges of murder
and concealing the body following extensive questioning after
several inconsistencies in her story emerged.
She continues to state her innocence.
Meanwhile, Loris' father Davide Stival on Tuesday asked the
media to respect the privacy of the family - particularly during
the child's funeral.
"We want to be left in peace," he said through his lawyer.
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