The Vatican is calling for a complete investigation after the Pope’s pregnant receptionist was found dead in her apartment last week on the outskirts of the city.
Mariam Wuolou, a 34-year-old from Eritrea who worked at Pope Francis’ home and a priests' guesthouse called Santa Marta, was seven months pregnant when she was discovered dead on Friday, The Mirror reports.
An initial review of the body showed no signs of violence, and Woulou had been absent from work for weeks due to complications from diabetes, according to the ANSA news agency.
She was found in the Pisana area south of Rome after her brother told police that he had not heard from her for days.
"Pope Francis had been informed of the death,” said Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi, according to The Mirror. “We are all pained by this news."
Woulou would greet the Pope daily and hand him his personal messages.
The Vatican is asking authorities for a complete autopsy and criminal investigation, The Daily Beast reported, citing the local Il Messaggero newspaper, which broke the story on Tuesday.
The newspaper said police are interviewing family members, including Woulou's husband, her brother and a man who reportedly is a recent boyfriend believed to be a policeman at the Vatican.
DNA tests also will be carried out on the fetus as authorities work to determine who might be the father of her unborn child.
Woulou had Italian citizenship through marriage, and police sources told The Daily Beast that they suspect she may have married her husband as part of a business arrangement.