Key facts
- An 11-year-old girl, Lyhanna, was murdered in Fleurance, France.
- Prime suspect Jérôme Barella was not questioned by police despite prior sexual abuse allegations.
- US authorities had alerted French police about Barella's online activity related to child sex abuse.
- New sexual abuse allegations have surfaced against Barella's father and brother.
- Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin stated the blunders were due to a failure to prioritize the case, not lack of resources.
An 11-year-old girl, Lyhanna, was buried in the French town of Fleurance, two weeks after her murder, amid widespread public anger over alleged police failings. The prime suspect, Jérôme Barella, 41, had been denounced to authorities nine months prior for alleged sexual abuse of a 10-year-old but was not questioned by investigators.
Further complicating the case, US authorities had alerted French police to Barella's online activity suggesting involvement in child sex abuse imagery. This alert was only discovered by French police after Barella's arrest. The French National Office for Minors (OFMIN) deemed the signal received in 2023 as "weak," with the office handling approximately 300,000 such signals annually.
In addition to the allegations against Jérôme Barella, new sexual abuse claims have emerged involving his father, Joël Barella, 71, and brother, Yannick Barella. Yannick has been placed under investigation for rape following complaints from two women, one of whom was a minor at the time. Joël Barella is also under investigation after a 2019 case of alleged sexual abuse was reopened, with additional allegations from another granddaughter surfacing.
Lyhanna, a friend of Barella's daughter, was last seen in his car on the day of her disappearance. Barella was arrested three days later, and Lyhanna's body was discovered eight days ago on a nearby farm. The horrific crime has escalated into a national scandal, highlighting what many perceive as significant official blunders within the French justice system.
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has faced calls for his resignation but has resisted them, stating that the failures in this case were not due to a lack of resources but a failure to prioritize a serious case. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has pledged to strengthen legal measures by increasing jail sentences for child rapists and imposing time limits on investigations into abuse claims against minors. However, advocacy groups are demanding a comprehensive new law on sexual violence and a significant budget increase, vowing to protest outside courts.