French town buries murdered girl amid outrage over police failings
An 11-year-old girl murdered in south-western France has been buried, with public anger mounting over police failures that left the suspect free. The case has sparked national debate on the justice system's handling of sex crimes.
Funeral and protests
The funeral of Lyhanna, 11, took place in the small town of Fleurance, 50 km west of Toulouse. Mayors across the Gers region called for residents to gather outside town halls in support, with flags flown at half-mast.
Police failures
Prime suspect Jérôme Barella, 41, had been reported to police nine months ago over alleged repeated sexual abuse of a 10-year-old but was never questioned. US authorities had also alerted French police about Barella's online activity suggesting child abuse images, according to Le Monde. The French National Office for Minors (OFMIN), which receives about 300,000 alerts yearly, classified the tip as “weak.”
Further allegations
The case has uncovered other possible crimes. Barella's brother Yannick is under investigation for rape after two women filed complaints; one was a minor at the time of the alleged crime. Their father Joël, 71, is also being investigated after a 2019 sexual abuse case was reopened. Barella's daughter was a friend of Lyhanna; he was arrested three days after her disappearance, and her body was found on a farm eight days later.
Government response
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has resisted calls to resign; a poll shows two-thirds of respondents think he should stay. He attributes the blunders to a failure to prioritize a serious case, not resource shortages. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu vowed to toughen sentences for child rapists and set time limits for investigations into sex abuse claims. Activists demand a new law covering sexual violence against women and children, with a €2.7 billion budget. They plan weekly protests outside courts on Mondays.
