The body of a 12-year-old girl has been found inside a suitcase in Paris, according to reports.

Her father became concerned after she failed to arrive home from school on Friday, BFMTV reported.

The girl’s mother reported her missing to the local police station in the French capital’s northeastern 19th arrondissement later that day.

Detectives quickly launched an investigation after signs of a kidnapping were discovered in the basement of the family home.

CCTV footage then showed a woman outside the building carrying a suitcase, which was later found a few streets away in rue d’Hautpoul with the girl’s corpse inside.

Her face was covered in tape and she had several cuts to her throat. A post-mortem examination will take place on Saturday.

Four people are currently in custody, but it is not clear what they were arrested for. Among them is the man who called police after discovering the suitcase.

The investigation into a ‘murder of a minor under 15’ is ongoing.