- Title: FRANCE: CHILDREN RESCUED AFTER 24 HOUR SIEGE
- Date: 17th March 1969
- Summary: MAYOR SIMONIN THROUGH VILLAGE TO CUELLO'S HOUSE; CROWDS WATCHING, READING NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS; MAYOR BRINGS CHILDREN OUT OF HOUSE; POLICE, REPORTERS AND CROWD WATCHING. Initials GL/V/CT/OS Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 1st April 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: VERRIERES, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVA5GCI0IUB7F3TDYSTFNE1LL1TM
- Story Text: TWO SMALL CHILDREN WERE LED TO SAFETY AT VARRIERES LE BUISSON, A SUBURB OF PARIS, TODAY (MARCH 17) AFTER THEIR FATHER, ARMED WITH A SHOTGUN, HAD HELD THEM PRISONER FOR 24 HOURS AND THREATENED TO KILL THEM RATHER THAN RETURN THEM TO HIS EX-WIFE.
THE MAYOR OF VERRIERES, JEAN SIMONIN, WENT INTO THE HOUSE TO TRY TO PERSUADE THE CHILDREN'S FATHER, 36 YEAR OLD LUCIEN CUELLO, TO RELEASE THEM. CROWDS STOOD AND WAITED AS THE AGONIZING MINUTES TICKED BY.
THEN THE MAYOR EMERGED FROM THE SHUTTERED GROUND-FLOOR FLAT, BRINGING WITH HIM THE SEVEN-YEAR-OLD BOY AND THE SIX-YEAR-OLD GIRL. THEIR FATHER ALSO HANDED OVER HIS RIFLE TO THE MAYOR. HE WAS LEFT ALONG IN THE FLAT, AND POLICE SAID NO CHARGES HAD BEEN PLACED AGAINST M. CUELLO.
MAYOR SIMONIN DECLINED TO SAY HOW HAD PERSUADED M. CUELLO TO HAND OVER HIS CHILDREN, BUT SAID "IT WAS ABOVE ALL NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND A MAN WHO WAS SUFFERING".
THIS AFTERNOON THE CHILDREN WERE BACK WITH THEIR MOTHER, 30 YEAR OLD DENISE CUELLO, WHO WAS GRANTED THEIR CUSTODY IN A RECENT DIVORCE CASE.
THE END OF THE SIEGE CONTRASTED SHARPLY WITH A SIMILAR CASE NEAR BORDEAUX LAST MONTH WHICH ENDED IN TRAGEDY WHEN A MAN KILLED HIMSELF AND TWO OF HIS CHILDREN AS POLICE IN ARMOURED CARS STORMED. HIS FARM.
THIS TIME THE POLICE ACTED WITH EXTREME CAUTION AND ONLY PLAIN-CLOTHES OFFICERS KEPT WATCH ON M. CUELLO'S FLAT.
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