Lyhanna case: autopsy leaves mystery over cause of death, suspect remanded in custody for homicide and sexual assault
Experts were unable to determine with certainty what caused the death of the teenager in the Gers department. The suspect has been charged with homicide involving rape of a minor.
Lyhanna case: autopsy leaves mystery over cause of death, suspect remanded in custody for homicide and sexual assault
Forensic pathologists failed to determine with certainty what led to the death of the teenager, whose body was discovered on 4 June in the Gers department. This was announced by the Public Prosecutor of Agen, Olivier Naboulet, in a press release issued on Wednesday. _Source: Le Figaro_
The experts' report nonetheless reveals several alarming signs. It contains marks on the legs and arms, strongly consistent with ligature marks, even though no rope was found on the body at the time of discovery. Bruising at the corners and inside the oral cavity was also noted.
The body had been transported by air to the gendarmerie's criminal research facility in Pontoise, in the Paris region. The practitioners found no injuries to the neck, either external or internal, that could account for the death. Nevertheless, by cross-referencing the autopsy observations with previous biological test results, investigators are pursuing the hypothesis of sexual assault committed against the young girl.
After receiving the file on Monday, the investigating magistrate reclassified the charges on Wednesday. The man in custody, Jérôme Barella, is now the subject of proceedings for "homicide of a minor under fifteen years of age, with prior or concurrent rape", as well as for "rape of a minor through use of force, restraint, threat or surprise". These charges could result in a life sentence.
Toxicological analyses and further investigations in anatomical pathology are currently underway. The representative of the public prosecutor's office clarified that these examinations require an extended response time due to their technical complexity.
Through their legal representative, the victim's family called for the investigation to continue under calm conditions. They also wished for an end to any political instrumentalisation and requested that the memory of their child be preserved, denouncing in particular its appropriation by artificial intelligence systems.
Source: Google News MA — Crime (fr)