Bianka’s mother spent 14 months in investigative custody. The enquiry was closed in late 2019; however, a year ago, the prosecutor’s office announced it intended to reopen proceedings against the woman with a view to charging her for the child’s disappearance, neglect, and potential murder.
In response to RTL’s query on Thursday, the prosecutor’s office said a number of issues required further clarification before they could proceed with the case.
The mother’s lawyer declined to offer a comment on the case when questioned by RTL.
Timeline of events
Bianka Bisdorff was born on 6 June 2015. Her mother Sarah came from a difficult background and was known to social services. Her older children had been taken into care. Youth protection services made a note that Sarah did not register herself and the baby - as a result, an investigation was launched in early July, as well as an appeal for witnesses.
One witness said he had seen Sarah take the baby to a pond between Pétange and Linger on 15 June 2015, but did not seem to have the baby when she returned. This is thought to be the last confirmed sighting of Bianka. She was reported missing on 3 July.
The police launched a major search operation to find the child. Divers were deployed. The mother was placed in pre-trial detention but remained silent.
Inside of an old building close to the pond, investigators found clothes and other objects belonging to the baby.
Police also searched a residential building in Pétange, where the woman is thought to have lived for a while with her child and the owner of the building.
The pond between Linger and Pétange ended up being completely dried out. No trace of the child. The investigation continued until late 2019.
To this day, no body has ever been found. Investigators wonder whether the 32-year-old mother may have handed over Bianka to a third person. Maybe to relatives living in Portugal, to prevent the authorities from taking her child away from her again. They even speculated that Sarah may have sold her own child.
Whether there will be a trial against the mother or not still remains uncertain, even six years after the disappearance of Bianka Bisdorff.
