The main suspect in the death of an 11-year-old girl whose body was found in the Gers region has been charged with the rape and murder of a child. The case has sparked nationwide protests and renewed scrutiny of the French justice system, after it emerged that the suspect had previously been accused of raping another child.
Jérôme Barella, 41, was formally charged with the rape and murder of a child under the age of 15 after meeting with investigating magistrates on Wednesday.
He was brought to the court in Agen from Mont-de-Marsan prison, and he answered a few questions about his background before exercising his right to remain silent, according to the deputy prosecutor.
Barella had initially been charged with kidnapping and false imprisonment following the disappearance of Lyhanna, who went missing on 29 May in the south-western town of Fleurance. Her body was found several days later.
If convicted, Barella faces a life sentence.
He has also been charged in a separate case involving a girl known as Rosa, whose mother filed a rape complaint in August 2025 against Barella, who was not prosecuted at the time.
An inspection report found serious failings in how the complaints were handled by police and investigators.
In that case, Barella also exercised his right to remain silent before being remanded in custody as part of the separate criminal investigation, prosecutors said.
Lyhanna's murder, and particularly the fact that Barella had previously been accused of raping a child but the case was either dropped or stalled, has prompted widespread public anger.
Thousands of people have joined weekly demonstrations outside regional courts and the Justice Ministry in Paris to call for a comprehensive law against sexual violence.
This weekend, tens of thousands more took part in protests across France.
The organisers – some 180 feminist and child protection groups – are calling for a wide-ranging law, instead of what they describe as "piecemeal measures", to address sexual violence at every stage, from prevention to criminal justice and support for victims.
(with AFP)
