Murder of Lyhanna, 11, in France: 41-year-old man arrested, judicial system under fire
The body of an 11-year-old schoolgirl was discovered in a grain silo near Fleurance in south-western France. A 41-year-old man, the father of one of her classmates, was detained. Several complaints of rape of minors had previously been filed against him with no further action taken.
Murder of Lyhanna, 11, in France: 41-year-old man arrested, judicial system under fire
The body of Lyhanna, an 11-year-old schoolgirl, was found on Thursday in a disused grain silo located some fifteen kilometres from Fleurance in south-western France. The police confirmed her death the following day, Friday. Thousands of people marched through the streets of the small town on Sunday to pay tribute to her and denounce the failures of politicians, law enforcement and the justice system.
According to information from the news website Sud Ouest, as reported by the TASR agency, a 41-year-old man named Jérôme B. was taken into police custody in connection with the case. He is the father of one of the victim's classmates. On the day of her disappearance, 29 May, he allegedly offered to drive the child from school, supposedly to a local swimming pool.
French media revealed that several complaints of rape of minors had previously been filed against this same individual. Some proceedings had been closed without further action by the judicial authorities, whilst others had received no response. According to the newspaper Le Figaro, the police had not even questioned him after the latest complaint, filed in August 2025.
President Emmanuel Macron publicly acknowledged that a failure had occurred. "It is clear that there has been a failure, and we cannot ignore the fact that gaps have emerged; they must be resolved (...), just as the responsibility that exists," he stated.
The Justice Minister, Gérald Darmanin, admitted on Thursday that the way the judicial system had handled information concerning the suspect was "totally unacceptable" and constituted a "failure".
This tragedy has become the main news story in France. Many citizens and political leaders have expressed shock at the apparent inability of the justice system to guarantee the protection of children. Several political figures have also exploited this tragedy in the context of political debate, as France is to hold presidential elections next year.
Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right party Rassemblement national (RN), wrote on the social network X: "The French people demand accountability. This horrible tragedy could have been avoided if the judicial system had not been so dysfunctional."
Bruno Retailleau, a member of the conservative party Les Républicains (LR), called for reform of the justice system. "A society incapable of protecting its own children is a society that will one day turn against itself," he warned.
Green party deputy Marine Tondelier described the case as "a symbol of a politico-judicial system incapable of resolving the problem of sexual and gender-based violence".
Mathilde Panot, deputy for the far-left party La France insoumise (LFI), demanded the resignation of Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, accusing him of bringing about a "degradation of the justice system".
Former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin called for a restructuring of the judicial system and the creation of a prosecutor's office specialising in cases of violence against women and children.
Source: Postoj
Source: Google News SK