ROME – An investigation has been opened by the Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office into the strange and unexplained circumstances of the death of Gilda Ammendola, 32 from Naples, in a prison in Paris, judicial officials said. 

 Having been in prison for not even a day, Ammendola, originally from Naples, was found hanged in her cell in Fleyry-Mérogis prison in Paris on January 22. 

 The French authorities have confidently explained the death of the young mother as suicide by hanging. However, this explanation does not convince the woman’s family and Italian authorities who have filed a complaint against the French. 

 As reported by Fatto Quotidiano, Italian authorities are concerned by the strange circumstances that surround Ammendola’s death. Firstly, the reasons for the arrest of the Italian woman are still unknown. The only certainty concerns the date of her arrest, January 21. On the day of her death itself, the family received two calls from Fleyry-Mérogis prison. Firstly, a prison official telephoned the family, at Ammendola’s request, to have some personal belongings sent to the prison. A few hours later, the family received a second call informing them there was no longer any need to send anything because Ammendola had died.  

 The family are struggling to believe that Ammendola would ask for belongings just hours before taking her own life

 Assisted by lawyer Domenico Scarpone, the family are asking for clarity on what happened and along with support from the Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office, have ordered an autopsy on the woman’s body. 

 The autopsy examination is expected to take place sometime next week (week commencing March 13) in Naples as lawyer Scarpone explained, “We are waiting for the autopsy to be carried out next week as ordered by the Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office, in which an expert consultant will clearly also participate.”

 An initial autopsy had already been carried out in France, but the family had been prevented not only from seeing Ammendola’s body, but also from having their own consultant take part in the examination. 

 An investigation has been opened into incitement to suicide by the Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office under the leadership of Judge Eugenio Albamonte. 

 It is now up to the magistracy in Rome - which has the capability to investigate crimes committed abroad against Italian citizens - to do everything possible to ascertain whether it was really suicide. Or whether it was another scenario in which Ammendola lost her life, and whether other people are responsible.

cw