The father of a teenage girl who was kidnapped and murdered heard her screams over the phone before she was killed, it has been reported.
The 17-year-old, known only as Anneli-Marie R, was the daughter of a German millionaire and kidnapped last week for a €1.2 million ransom. She went missing after going for a walk with her dog on Thursday. Her body was found by police last night.
Deutsche Welle reports that her family had pledged to pay the ransom to ensure her safe return, but prosecutors believe that her abductors killed her to avoid being identified and prosecuted.
It is reported that her family heard her terrified screams on the phone before her death.
Her full name has not been released by German authorities to protect her family's identity.
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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.
