1 Alps shooting survivor sent home

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LAKE ANNECY, France, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- The 4-year-old daughter of a British couple slain in the French Alps was flown home Sunday, while her sister, 7, came out of a coma, officials said.

Four-year-old Zeena al-Hilli was the only member of her family not harmed in the Wednesday shootings that left her parents, a grandmother and an innocent bystander dead, The Guardian reported.

Saad al-Hilli, an Iraqi-born engineer, along with his wife Iqbal and his 74-year old mother-in-law were found fatally shot inside their car at Chevaline, near Lake Annecy. A biker who apparently came across the shooting was also found dead at the scene.

Zeena hid under her mother's skirt and was not found by police until eight hours after they cordoned off the crime scene.

The 4-year-old girl was flown back to Britain Sunday with two unnamed family members, the Daily Mail reported.

French prosecutor Eric Maillaud said Zeena's trip home was carried out under conditions of "utmost secrecy" for "security and safety reasons."

Meanwhile, her older sister, Zainab, came out of a medically induced coma at Grenoble Hospital, officials said.

Zainab suffered a gunshot wound to her should and a fractured skull during the incident.

She is still sedated, officials said.

"Zainab might have a lot more information. We hope she can tell us what she saw, give descriptions, the number of people, men or women, skin colors, clothing. Anything that may allow some identification," Maillaud said. "We simply do not know until she awakes. But that is a medical decision which has to take priority over our investigation. It is up to the doctors, and it could be a long time before she is ready."