The mystery surrounding Denise

Child abducted in Italy: trail leads to Austria

The girl disappeared in 2004, virtually from one second to the next, in her hometown of Mazara del Vallo in Sicily.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/ANSA/Carmelo Sucameli und cerchiamodenise.at)

Denise was just four years old when she was kidnapped in 2004 in her hometown of Mazara del Vallo in Sicily. According to the criminal investigation department, she was abducted by a mafia organization operating across half of Europe. There are now indications that the victim could be in Austria.

It was about two weeks ago when an Italian woman named Piera Maggio contacted "Österreich findet euch" (Austria finds you). She urgently requested that an appeal be launched via the well-known association's website and social media pages. It concerned her long-lost daughter Denise.

The woman explained that there were now serious indications that her beloved child—of whom a picture had been created showing what the now 25-year-old might look like (see end of article)—could be in our country; that she had been brought here by the criminals who had once kidnapped her...

It happened in broad daylight
The story behind this unbelievable drama, reminiscent of the "Maddie case": depressing, terrifying. Eerie. This story began on September 1, 2004. On a wonderfully warm, sunny morning. In a peaceful suburb of the Sicilian port city of Mazara del Vallo.

Denise, then just under four years old, was visiting her grandmother; she was playing with a ball in front of the apartment building, first alone, then with one of her cousins. At some point, she went with the boy to his mother's house, her aunt's house, to eat cookies. Afterwards, the two of them took her back to the alley where her grandmother lived.

According to Denise's last memories, she was skipping happily toward the pensioner's apartment, which was only a few meters away. But she never arrived. From one second to the next, the girl had vanished into thin air. In a busy neighborhood, in broad daylight.

Relatives and neighbors immediately began searching desperately for the little girl. The police were quickly alerted, and hundreds of officers combed the area, but they too found no trace of her. In addition, extensive search measures were immediately initiated, and photos taken of the child a few hours before the drama were published in all the country's media: "Who has seen Denise?"

The victim's mother at a memorial march(Bild: cerchiamodenise.at)

Soon, almost every Italian knew her face: her cute, round face with a visible injury below her left eye – which the girl had sustained shortly before her disappearance while romping around in her room.

One thing is certain: on October 18, 2004, a security guard employed at a bank branch in Milan made an agitated call to the police.

A disturbing cell phone video
"Come quickly, the missing Denise is here, right in front of me." In front of the alleyway restaurant, on the street, accompanied by a dubious man, two poorly dressed women, and several intimidated children.

The one below, whom he claimed to have recognized as the missing girl, was dressed extremely warmly, wearing a winter jacket with a hood that was pulled over her head. And she had a conspicuous—obviously poorly healed—wound on her left cheek, below her eye...

A few weeks after the kidnapping, Denise was filmed in Milan (picture on the left); next to it is a comparison photo of her.(Bild: cerchiamodenise.at)

It seemed as if an attempt had been made to "disguise" the alleged kidnapping victim with clothing that was inappropriate for the season, thereby making her unidentifiable, the witness reported to the Carabinieri – who had only arrived at his location after the suspicious group had already spotted him and fled in a hurry.

But before that, he had managed to point the camera lens of his cell phone at the child in question. In the video that was taken, you can clearly hear the shady-looking adults calling her "Dana" – similar to the name Denise – and how she repeatedly asks fearfully, in a trembling voice, "Where are you taking me now?"

How much love was taken from me? How much love was taken from you? I think of you. Every day, every night. I will never stop looking for you.

Piera Maggios Botschaft an ihr verschwundenes Kind

The film was immediately shown to the family of the missing girl. Conclusion: The mother was – and still is – absolutely certain that the little girl is her daughter. There is no forensic evidence to prove this. The cell phone recordings are of too poor quality to be clearly evaluated for image comparison analysis.

However, extensive investigations into the mysterious case took place – and are still taking place. These investigations repeatedly confirmed the investigators' initial assumption: that the girl, born on October 26, 2000, must have been kidnapped on September 1, 2004. In the course of a "blitz operation" that had been meticulously planned in advance.

Some people believe that after so many years, the pain subsides. But that's not true. My pain for Denise has never diminished.

Piera Maggio über ihr unendliches Leid

The circumstantial evidence case against the stepsister
The fact is that the girl's half-sister, who is eleven years older and from her father's first marriage, eventually came under suspicion of having committed the crime. Out of jealousy. Possibly with the help of the Mafia. The young woman was eventually put on trial, which ended in an acquittal due to lack of evidence.

And countless clues about the alleged whereabouts of the missing girl – from halfway around the world – all proved to be misleading, to be false, when investigated.

In the clutches of a gang of beggars?
Ultimately, the authorities assumed—with almost complete certainty—that Denise had fallen into the clutches of a dangerous begging organization operating across half of Europe. She had been abducted on her own initiative, sold or given away. Like so many children before and after her.

Die Psychiaterin über das Jetzt des Opfers:

„Sie weiß nichts über ihre frühe Kindheit“

„Krone“: Frau Dr. Roßmanith, sollte Denise noch am Leben sein – kann sie sich, zumindest in kleinen Ansätzen, noch an ihr Leben einst, bei ihrer Familie, erinnern?
Sigrun Roßmanith: Davon gehe ich nicht aus. Weil die Erfahrungen, die sie nach ihrer vermuteten Entführung gemacht hat, Erlebnisse aus ihrem „fernsten Früher“ längst völlig überdeckt haben dürften.

Und wenn sie ihre Mutter wiedersehen würde?
Würde sie diese nicht erkennen.

Sigrun Roßmanith ist eine der renommiertesten österreichischen Gerichtspsychiaterinnen.(Bild: Imre Antal)

Wie, denken Sie, ist der psychische Zustand der mittlerweile 25-Jährigen?
Sie leidet mit Sicherheit – aufgrund des Schocks durch ihr Kidnapping und der wahrscheinlich grauenhaften Dinge, die danach mit ihr geschehen sind – an einer posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung; an vielleicht für sie nicht erklärbaren ständigen Angstgefühlen und Panikattacken.

Was, wenn das Opfer jetzt in der „Krone“ ein Kindheitsbild von sich sieht?
Es wäre nicht dazu imstande, das Foto mit sich zu verbinden. Weil es nicht mehr weiß, wie es im Mädchenalter ausgesehen hat.

The victims are systematically exploited by the gangs, leading a nomadic existence in ever-changing cities. They beg passersby for money and sleep in dilapidated mattress camps. They are controlled around the clock by criminal "caregivers" who convince them that they are their parents. It is not uncommon for them to remain under their control even into old age.

This is what Denise might look like today
Is Denise – who would now be 25 – actually in Austria, as her mother now firmly believes? "Österreich findet euch" (Austria finds you) was provided with a picture of what Denise might look like today, created using age progression software.

We have now launched a large-scale search for the missing person on social media. We hope that one of our many followers will recognize her.

Christian Mader, Leiter des Vereins „Österreich findet euch“

"As long as I breathe, I hope"
Denise's mother has been tirelessly searching for her daughter for over 20 years. She organizes memorial marches, gives constant interviews, and has written a book about her horrific fate. "As long as I breathe," says the Italian woman, "I hope..."