Murder of Lyhanna in France: man previously reported for sexual violence against minors under investigation
The murder of an eleven-year-old girl in south-western France has sent shockwaves through the country and reignited debate over failings in the judicial system.
Murder of Lyhanna in France: man previously reported for sexual violence against minors under investigation
The murder of Lyhanna, an eleven-year-old girl from Fleurance in south-western France, has provoked strong emotion across the country. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in more than 150 towns and municipalities outside courthouses to demand answers.
The child's disappearance dates back to the end of May. Six days later, her body was discovered on a farm close to where she had gone missing. The prime suspect is Jérôme Barella, a 41-year-old father whose daughter attended the same school as the victim. Lyhanna was last seen getting into his vehicle.
Investigators quickly established that Barella had been the subject of repeated reports over several years regarding sexual violence against minors. As early as August of the previous year, a complaint had been filed against him for repeated rape of a ten-year-old child. Yet over the following nine months, he had not been remanded in custody and had not even been questioned by law enforcement. The case was progressing slowly through the competent authorities.
It was only after Lyhanna's body was discovered that police arrested Barella and opened a judicial investigation. Since then, further complaints have emerged. The man is now suspected of being involved in at least nine separate cases of sexual violence against minor girls.
In response to the scale of the scandal, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin publicly apologised to the victim's family and acknowledged that the authorities should have taken action against the suspect earlier. French prosecution services have been instructed to review all pending complaints involving children by 14 July, covering approximately 70,000 cases.
Source: Euronews
Source: Google News AT — Crime (de)