Key facts
- France is summoning all state prosecutors to a meeting.
- The meeting follows the case of 11-year-old Lyhanna, who went missing and was found deceased.
- A suspect with prior sexual assault complaints against children has been arrested.
- President Macron acknowledged issues with the case's handling.
- The justice and interior ministries will investigate potential errors.
France is summoning all its state prosecutors to a meeting next week following the case of 11-year-old Lyhanna, who was reported missing on May 29 from Fleurance and was later found deceased. The case has exposed potential judicial mistakes and missed opportunities. A suspect, identified as the father of one of Lyhanna's classmates and who had faced multiple complaints of sexual assault against children, has been arrested. President Emmanuel Macron stated that "everything went all right" cannot be said regarding the handling of the case. Political figures across the spectrum have used the case to highlight broader failures within the judicial system, particularly concerning child protection. The justice and interior ministries will conduct a joint examination of potential errors, including a failure to execute a prosecutor's request to investigate a previous complaint against the suspect. The findings of this investigation are expected to be made public. The suspect, a 41-year-old father of two, had prior complaints including a rape allegation dismissed in 2024 due to lack of evidence and another dropped in 2018. A separate complaint alleged rape in 2024-2025, with the investigation ongoing when Lyhanna disappeared. The suspect acknowledged giving Lyhanna a ride but provided an inconsistent account. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin stated that the judicial system failed to protect the child. The body of Lyhanna, discovered in southwestern France, has been identified by DNA testing. A firestorm of recrimination raged in France over failures in the justice system that kept a man now suspected in the disappearance and death of an 11-year-old girl out of custody despite allegations that he preyed on young adolescents. The disappearance of the girl and days of searches that ended with the discovery of her body have gripped national and political attention.