Key facts
- An autopsy confirmed an 11-year-old girl, Lyhanna, was raped before her death in France.
- The girl's body was found in an abandoned silo nearly a week after she went missing.
- The main suspect, a 41-year-old father of a classmate, had prior accusations of child rape.
- Previous investigations into the suspect had stalled or were dropped before Lyhanna's disappearance.
- The case has led to widespread public outrage and calls for reform of the justice system.
- Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin acknowledged a "terrible failure" and ordered a review of child abuse allegations.
An autopsy has confirmed that an 11-year-old girl, Lyhanna, who went missing in Fleurance, France, was raped before she died. Her body was discovered in an abandoned silo nearly a week after her disappearance on May 29.
The case has ignited widespread public outrage, particularly after it emerged that the main suspect, a 41-year-old father of a school friend, had faced previous accusations of child rape. Investigations into these earlier allegations had reportedly stalled or been dropped, with the suspect not yet questioned in the most recent case filed last August.
Thousands of mourners participated in a silent march to honor Lyhanna, with many expressing grief mixed with anger over perceived failures of the justice system. President Emmanuel Macron condemned the "unacceptable" lapses, and Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin acknowledged a "terrible failure from the state, and of the justice system." Darmanin has ordered prosecutors to review 70,000 ongoing allegations of violence against minors as an absolute priority.
Magistrates' unions have countered government accusations by citing the difficulty of implementing shifting priorities, while opposition parties have called for accountability from both the judiciary and the government. The suspect, identified as Jérôme Barella, has denied killing Lyhanna.