Lyhanna case: autopsy confirms rape of 11-year-old girl
The autopsy of Lyhanna, 11, found dead in a grain silo in France, reveals she was raped. The suspect, a 41-year-old serial sex offender, is in provisional detention.
Lyhanna case: autopsy confirms rape of 11-year-old girl
The autopsy of Lyhanna, a schoolgirl of eleven found dead in France, has revealed that the child was raped, according to information obtained by the news agency AFP. The exact cause of death remains undetermined.
The body of young Lyhanna was discovered six days after her disappearance, hidden in a grain silo. The main suspect, a 41-year-old man named Jérôme B., was the last person seen with the child in his vehicle. He has been placed in provisional detention and refuses to answer investigators' questions.
This man already has several criminal convictions for rape of minors. Currently, four rape complaints have been filed against him. One of them, filed in the summer of 2025, had never resulted in the suspect being questioned, a negligence that provoked strong public reaction in France.
President Emmanuel Macron as well as several ministers have acknowledged serious malfunctions within the judicial system. Despite these admissions, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has retained his position.
In response to this tragedy, the French government intends to strengthen a draft law on child protection already in preparation. The measures being considered include heavier sentences for repeat offenders and the requirement to open an investigation within three months if there is suspicion of sexual abuse of a minor.
Source: ORF