France shocked by rape, murder of girl, aged 9, snatched from park

French public opinion has been left shocked by a Polish man's confession to raping and killing a nine-year-old girl that he snatched from a French playground. The mother was left distraught as her daughter was taken from under her nose on Wednesday when playing at the playground at the northern city of Calais.

Flags flew at half mast on Thursday as the gruesome details emerged after the young girl's naked, limp and lifeless body was found in the woods.

The Polish criminal, described by witnesses as bald and wearing sunglasses shoved young Chloe into a red car. Police were immediately alerted at 3.30 p.m. and discovered the murdered child at 5 p.m. after she was strangulated and raped.

The driver of the red vehicle with Polish number plates was intoxicated. He had been banned from French territory after being released from French prison after being charged with robbery. He had been handed over to Polish authorities in March 2014 and there was a Europe-wide arrest warrant was issued in his name.