Lyhanna killed at 11 years old, the suspect is a pedophile already known to the police: shock in France

“While awaiting the conclusions of the investigations, we cannot mention any responsibilities, much less any future sanctions”, specified the Auch prosecutor, the general prosecutors and those of the Republic. But the main suspect, Jérome Barella, 41 years old and father of a family, has already been placed in precautionary custodyas the broadcaster Bfmtv writes. The man, who he worked on the farm where the body was found yesterday and is the subject of numerous complaints and reports, in particular for sexual violence and rapesome archived.

Meanwhile, while an investigation has been opened for ”kidnapping, abduction of a minor and murder of a minor under 15”, indignation is growing, both in politics and in civil society which is preparing to take to the streets with the slogan ‘I am Lyhanna’.

The French president Emmanuel Macron expressed “the solidarity and affection of the entire nation” to Lyhanna’s family and friends. “This is a moment of reflection, affection, support and thought,” added the head of the Elysée. Speaking from Montenegro, where he was on an official visit, Macron said it was clear that “there has been a malfunction” and that “flaws have emerged, and these must be clarified. Things did not go as they should have, that’s obvious. And it’s unacceptable.” Macron added that “we cannot look Lyhanna’s family in the eye and say that everything was fine,” but “we must look at the collective, systemic and individual responsibilities.”

Il French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu he said he was “particularly shocked” by the reported judicial irregularities in relation to Lyhann’s abduction and asked to verify “whether all the warning signs have been taken into account”. The Prime Minister’s office said in a statement that it needs to be checked “whether all warning signs were caught in time, whether all procedures worked as they should have and whether the priorities were correct”.

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez held an emergency meeting in Matignon during which, according to what the broadcaster Bfmtv has learned, there was talk of “overwhelming evidence” which was ignored. The two ministers said they considered it “incomprehensible” that the main suspect was not questioned as part of the investigation following the rape complaint lodged last August. According to what Bfmtv has learned, Lecornu hopes that the first conclusions of the administrative investigation launched by Darmanin and Nuñez will be available “within 15 days”.

With a post on ‘X’, Darmanin denounced “the enormous and unacceptable dysfunctions of state services” in handling complaints against the suspect in the investigation into Lyhanna’s death. “Our duty is to protect children as an absolute priority, as I have already requested since my arrival at the Ministry of Justice,” continued the minister. The Minister of Justice has invited all Attorneys General to a working meeting on Monday morning at 8.30am at the Chancellery.

“The judicial institution I represent aims to protect the French people. And today it failed to protect this little girl. I wish to apologize to his family and to the French people, who are rightly shocked and terrified to witness these failures”, he then added to the TF1 news program after the body was found. “I am furious about this situation and this immense failure,” Darmanin added, saying that the “lack of resources” should not be an excuse for the shortcomings of the justice system.

When he took office, “I said we needed to give priority to reports of sexual abuse of minors and women. This priority was not given“, he declared, “I take responsibility and will propose sanctions” in the event that it emerges that crimes and irregularities have been committed.

According to what Bfmtv has learned, there is “great irritation” at the Ministry of Justice over the “decisions taken by the various magistrates” in the case of little Rosa, who last August accused Jérome Barella of rape and who was “treated as if it were a simple case of burglary”. According to what Bfmtv learned, Rosa had filed a rape complaint together with her mother against Barella and the case had been sent by post from the Toulouse prosecutor’s office to the Auch prosecutor’s office on 28 October 2025. This would be a ”questionable choice” because the case was not treated as urgent.

Meanwhile various groups and associations have called demonstrations for Monday starting at 7pm in front of the courts of France and the Ministry of Justice. In the square there will be, among others, Nous Toutes, the Enfantiste collective and the Women’s Foundation, who have issued an appeal to demonstrate with the slogan “I am Lyhanna”. “We can no longer tolerate our children being raped by men known to the justice system,” director Andréa Bescond wrote on her Instagram account.