Murder of 11-year-old girl in France: judicial system criticised
The murder of a schoolgirl aged 11 in Fleurance, south-west France, has provoked fierce protests against the French government. The suspect had been reported multiple times for sexual assaults on minors.
Murder of 11-year-old girl in France: judicial system criticised
At the end of May, French citizens received an alert on their mobile phones: a schoolgirl aged 11 had gone missing in Fleurance, in south-west France.
Over the following week, reports emerged in rapid succession, increasingly alarming in nature. What might have been merely a brief news item developed into a matter of leading political importance.
The murder of the young girl triggered massive demonstrations against the government. Protesters denounced the failings of the judicial system in protecting children.
The suspect, a 32-year-old man, had indeed been reported multiple times for sexual assaults on minors. He had been held in pre-trial detention in 2024, then released in January 2025 under judicial supervision. He was due to appear in September before the criminal court.
The girl was last seen on 28 May leaving school. Her body was discovered on 31 May in a forest. According to French media, the suspect admitted to the facts during questioning in custody.
Source: Politiken
Source: Politiken