Death of Danka Ilić

On March 26, 2024, 23-month-old Serbian girl Danka Ilić (April 23 2022 – March 26 2024) disappeared in Banjsko Polje near Bor, Republic of Serbia. On April 4, ten days after her disappearance, authorities arrested two people in connection with her disappearance, who confessed to hitting and killing Ilić with their car.^[1]

Death of Danka Ilić
Born	(2022-04-23)April 23, 2022
Died	March 26, 2024(2024-03-26) (aged 1)

Upon her disappearance, Serbia issued the first Amber alert message in the country's history.^[2]

Disappearance

On March 26, Ilić and her mother, Ivana, were on a walk in Banjsko Polje. Around 1:45 pm local time, Ivana lost track of her daughter.^[3]

Investigation

Initial investigations in Banjsko Polje found no leads.^[4] Interpol became involved with the search for Ilić, and issued a yellow warrant in her case by April 1.^[5][6]

Some investigatiors suggested Ilić may have been taken out of the country. Viennese police investigated a video recorded in Vienna, Austria, alleged to be of Ilić, but concluded that there was no connection to the case.^[5][7]

On the morning of April 4, police found blood on a utility vehicle.^[1] They proceeded to arrest two people connected to the car in connection with Ilić's disappearance and death.^[2] Police reported that the two confessed to killing Ilić,^[2][3] and that they would lead police to where Ilić's body had been left.^[3] According to authorities, shortly after Ilić had been separated from her mother, she was hit by a car, killing her. The two drivers then transported her body to a landfill.^[1]

References

1. "Danka was killed by communal Workers, then the Body was dumped in a Landfill". Sarajevo Times. 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
2. "Tragic End for Missing 2-Year-Old Danka Ilic: Two Arrested for Murder". www.ilmessaggero.it. 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
3. "Vucic: Two Persons admitted they killed Two Years old Danka". Sarajevo Times. 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
4. "Vučić potvrdio da je nestala djevojčica Danka Ilić ubijena, uhapšene dvije osobe". www.klix.ba (in Croatian). Retrieved 2024-04-05.
5. "No Connection of the Women from the video in Vienna with the Disappearance of Danka Ilic". Sarajevo Times. 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
6. "Two Years old Girl Danka is on Interpol's Missing Persons List". Sarajevo Times. 2024-04-01. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
7. "Austrijska policija: Na objavljenim snimcima nije djevojčica Danka Ilić". Al Jazeera Balkans (in Bosnian). 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2024-04-05.