France outraged over judicial failings as missing 11-year-old's body identified
Public Outcry and Investigation into Judicial Failings
By Juliette Jabkhiro, Makini Brice and Dominique Vidalon
Discovery and Identification of Lyhanna
PARIS, June 5 (Reuters) - A body discovered in southwestern France was identified on Friday as that of a missing 11-year-old girl whose case has sparked outrage after authorities disclosed they had not acted on previous allegations of child rape against the main suspect.
The victim, who has only been identified by her first name, Lyhanna, was reported missing in the small southern town of Fleurance on May 29, after leaving school. The 41-year-old father of a classmate was arrested on evidence that he was seen with her on the afternoon she disappeared.
After a massive search, the body was discovered on Thursday in farmland near her hometown.
Confirmation of Identity
"At this time, the victim’s identity has been confirmed through DNA testing. The body found is indeed that of Lyhanna," the prosecutor's office in the southwestern city of Agen, which is overseeing the case, said in a statement on Friday.
Reactions from Officials and Family
Government Response
Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said on French television that the judicial system "failed to protect this little girl."
"I would like to offer my apologies to this family and to the French people, who are rightfully shocked and terrified by such failures," he said.
Forensic Investigation
The prosecutor said medical examiners planned to perform forensic analysis to determine the cause of the girl's death.
Family and Legal Perspectives
A lawyer for Lyhanna's family said the sadness and anger of her parents "cannot be expressed", while the suspect's lawyers said he must receive a presumption of innocence.
Background on the Suspect and Previous Allegations
History of Allegations
The case sparked public outcry after officials revealed the suspect had been accused in several cases involving young girls.
Previous Complaints
The most serious was a mother's complaint in August that he raped her 10-year-old daughter several times. Despite medical evidence supporting that accusation, the suspect was not questioned by police.
Political and Judicial Response
Government Actions and Investigation
France has summoned all state prosecutors to a meeting next week, and findings from an investigation into the handling of Lyhanna's case were expected within two weeks.
Statements from Political Leaders
"We can't look at the faces of her family members and tell ourselves that everything went all right," President Emmanuel Macron told reporters as he entered a summit in Montenegro on Friday.
Political figures on the right and left have said the case exemplifies a broader failure by the judicial system to protect women and children from sexual violence.
Prime Minister's Remarks
"The question is whether all the warning signs were addressed in a timely manner, whether all procedures worked as they should have, and whether the right priorities were set,” Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said in a statement after meeting with the ministers of justice and the interior.
(Reporting by Juliette Jakhbiro, Makini Brice, Inti Landauro and Michel Rose and Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Jan Harvey, Kevin Liffey and Cynthia Osterman)
