Global InformationAbduction and murder of Ylenia Lenhard information
 Appenzell, Switzerland, Lenhard's hometown | |
| Date | 31 July 2007 |
|---|---|
| Location | Appenzell, Switzerland (abduction) Oberbüren, Switzerland (murder) |
| Casualties | |
| 2 dead (victim and suspect) | |
| 1 injured (potential witness) | |
| Suspects | Urs Hans von Aesch |
Ylenia Lenhard (18 November 2001 – 31 July 2007) was a five-year-old girl from Appenzell, Switzerland who was abducted while riding her bike to the local pool on 31 July 2007. Her body was found more than a month later in Bürerwald, a wooded area outside of Oberbüren, approximately 30 kilometres (30,000 m) away from Appenzell. The suspect was identified by DNA as Urs Hans von Aesch (11 November 1940 – 31 July 2007), a Swiss man living in Benimantell, Spain. He was found dead from suicide by firearm the day after the abduction.[1][2][3] No prior connection was found between the Lenhard family and van Aesch.[4]
The case was followed closely by the public,[1] who reported more than 1,400 tips, many of them false or misleading.[5] The local newspaper Blick was criticised in particular for its coverage of the case, which involved a number of published retractions and corrections from the St. Gallen police.[6][7] Blick speculated that the case was linked to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann[1][8] (3 May 2007) due to the proximity in timing, the girls' similar appearances,[9][8] and reports of a van matching that of von Aesch's in Algarve near Praia da Luz around McCann's disappearance,[citation needed] though no legitimate connection has been made.[8]
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