Disappearance of Lyhanna in Gers: anger rises in Fleurance over suspect's profile
More than 170 gendarmes and volunteer riders are searching for the 11-year-old schoolgirl who has been missing for six days. Residents of Fleurance are outraged: the suspect had already faced three complaints against him, including two for rape and sexual assault.
Disappearance of Lyhanna in Gers: anger rises in Fleurance over suspect's profile
Searches continue in the Gers to find Lyhanna, an 11-year-old schoolgirl reported missing six days ago. More than 170 gendarmes are deployed on the ground, supported by volunteer riders. Teams have already explored a wide perimeter around Fleurance, the town where the girl was last seen. Divers have also inspected a lake throughout an entire morning. On the seventh day of the search, 230 people were deployed. Gendarmes were to conduct door-to-door inquiries to gather any possible witness statements.
On the ground, anxiety is giving way to outrage. Residents are discovering with astonishment the suspect's previous criminal record. Three complaints had already been filed against this man, including two for rape and sexual assault. Yet nine months after the last complaint was filed, he still had not been summoned by the authorities. This administrative delay is exasperating local residents. "You shouldn't wait until the fourth case to condemn someone. You should do it after the first," one resident said. Another expressed her shock: "I'm shocked, I have grandchildren. There are people walking around like this, there are people who file complaints and we do nothing for these children?"
Faced with the scale of the controversy, two administrative investigations have been opened to determine any possible failings in how previous reports were handled. "I am very disgusted to see that the organisations we place our complete trust in cannot respond any differently and more quickly in cases like this," said one woman on the ground. The prefecture and the public prosecutor's office have been informed to shed light on these delays.
The search is focusing on wooded areas and bodies of water around Fleurance. The riders are providing valuable support: "You see much better from horseback, you're much higher up, it's easier in any case and you can cover more distance," explained Célia Methout, a volunteer rider. All State services remain mobilised to try to find the young girl.
Source: France Info