Top Story: Chiavari School Teacher Finds Corpse in Entella River During Class Outing
Chiavari, Italy, April 4, 2025 – A routine school field trip turned into a chilling discovery this morning when a primary school teacher from Chiavari led her students to the banks of the Entella River and stumbled upon the body of an unidentified woman. The shocking find, reported at approximately 9:30 a.m. local time near Caperana, a hamlet in Chiavari’s outskirts, has thrust the quiet Ligurian coastal town into the national spotlight, with authorities now investigating a potential homicide.
A Grim Discovery
The teacher, whose name has not been released, was guiding a group of young students from a local scuola elementare on an outdoor lesson along the riverbank when she noticed what appeared to be a human form partially submerged in the shallow waters. Initially mistaking it for debris, she approached closer and quickly realized it was a corpse. “It was horrifying,” a source close to the school told Il Secolo XIX. “She immediately shielded the children and called for help.”
Emergency services arrived promptly, cordoning off the area near Via San Rufino in Caperana. The body, described as that of a young Asian woman, showed no immediate signs of identification—no wallet, phone, or documents were found nearby. Preliminary examinations suggest she had been in the water for less than 24 hours, though the cause of death remains unclear pending autopsy results.
Investigation Underway
The Chiavari Carabinieri, led by local commander Lt. Col. Marco Calì, have taken charge of the scene, with the Genoa Public Prosecutor’s Office opening a file for suspected murder. “We’re treating this as a potential homicide until evidence suggests otherwise,” a police spokesperson told RAI Liguria. “The river’s currents and the body’s condition are being analyzed to determine if she was dumped here or carried downstream.”
Posts on X captured the initial shock: “Maestra finds a body in the Entella—Chiavari’s turning into a crime scene,” one user wrote, while another speculated, “Could be tied to the port traffic in Genoa.” The Entella River, flowing from the Ligurian Apennines into the sea between Chiavari and Lavagna, is a popular spot for locals but rarely linked to such grim events.
Community in Disarray
The discovery has rattled Chiavari, a picturesque town of 27,000 known for its medieval arcades and tourism along the Riviera di Levante. Parents at the school expressed dismay over the incident’s impact on the children, some of whom witnessed the commotion before being ushered away. “They’re too young for this,” one mother told Fanpage.it. “The teacher did her best, but it’s a trauma we didn’t expect.”
Local officials, including Mayor Federico Messuti, offered support to the school and urged calm. “This is an isolated incident, and we trust the authorities to get to the bottom of it,” he said in a statement. Meanwhile, counselors have been dispatched to assist the students and staff.
A Mystery Unfolds
As forensic teams comb the riverbank and divers search upstream, speculation swirls about the woman’s identity and fate. The Entella’s proximity to Genoa’s bustling port—30 km away—has fueled theories of trafficking or organized crime, though no evidence yet supports such claims. “We’re looking at missing persons reports regionally and beyond,” a police source told La Stampa, noting the victim’s apparent youth—estimated at 20-30 years old—adds urgency to the probe.
For now, Chiavari holds its breath as this macabre mystery unfolds, a stark contrast to its usual serenity. The teacher’s unintended role in uncovering the case has left an indelible mark on the town—and a haunting lesson no one anticipated.
