The daughter of a wealthy German businessman is reportedly being held by kidnappers for a ransom of €1 million after she disappeared while walking her dog last week.
Anneli-Marie R, whose last name has not been released for privacy reasons, has not been seen since she left her parents’ house at in Meissen, Saxony at 7:30pm on 13 August.
The girl’s dog was found alive by police, but they failed to find any trace of her after searching the near-by countryside with a sniffer dog, according to German newspaper Sächsische Zeitung.
Police have confirmed that the family have received a ransom demand.
Investigators would not give specific details regarding the ransom but Sächsische Zeitung have alleged that the amount is about €1 million.
A public appeal for information as well as a statement from the girl’s family has been released by officials.
“Anneli, we miss you,” the family statement says. It also addresses her abductors saying, “The kidnappers should know that we will fulfil their demands to be able to hug our child soon.”
According to a police statement an extensive search and investigation into the kidnapping remains on-going.
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Anneli-Marie R’s disappearance follows a series of kidnappings for ransom in Germany.
In June this year the 50-year-old disabled son of German billionaire Reinhold Würth was abducted, according to Deutsche Welle. He was freed a day later with no ransom paid.
In 2010 Maria Bögerl, the wife of a wealthy banker, was murdered by her kidnappers despite her husband paying the €300,000 ransom requested. Her killers have not yet been identified.
In 2002, Magnus Gäfgen kidnapped the 11 year-old son of a banker demanding a €1 million ransom in return for the boy’s release despite having already killed him. Gäfgen was sentenced to life in prison.
