Lyhanna Affair: Investigation Reveals Serious Failures in Handling Abuse Allegations

Fleurance – 23.06.2026: The clarification of the murder of 11-year-old Lyhanna has exposed a series of serious shortcomings in the French justice and security apparatus. The child’s body was discovered in early June in an agricultural silo near Fleurance in the Gers department. A preliminary investigation jointly conducted by the Ministry of Justice and the national Gendarmerie has now shown that since August 2025 there had been indications of sexual assaults against the later main suspect, Jérôme Barella – yet the subsequent investigations were sluggish and flawed.

Barella, 41 years old, was first anonymously reported in August 2025: a ten-year-old schoolgirl had reported sexual violence against her, allegedly occurring in Montastruc-sur-Gers. The report was initially filed at the Gendarmerie in Plaisance-du-Touch in the Haute-Garonne department. Due to the crime scene, the case was forwarded to the public prosecutor’s office in Auch, which in January 2026 transferred the investigation to the Gendarmerie in Lectoure. Critically, Barella was not questioned before the incident involving Lyhanna, despite the severity of the allegations.

The investigation reports specifically criticize the handling by the public prosecutor’s office in Auch. The report was only officially entered into the criminal record on December 2, 2025, although this was a priority case. The investigative judge responsible for the case only began work on January 9, 2026, without marking the matter as urgent or setting deadlines. Additionally, a faulty transfer of the case files back to the Gendarmerie in Plaisance-du-Touch caused a 13-day delay.

This systemic failure contributed to the investigations not progressing swiftly, despite several warnings indicating potential recidivism risk. The consequence was the tragic abduction and murder of Lyhanna. Meanwhile, the case was transferred from the public prosecutor in Auch to that in Agen, as Fleurance falls within Agen’s jurisdiction. Investigations into the crime itself are ongoing.

The preliminary inquiry recommends a thorough review of existing procedural workflows and enhanced staffing as well as technical resources in the justice authorities to prevent comparable oversights in the future. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that authorities are acknowledging their responsibility and that necessary consequences must follow. At the same time, he emphasized that the problems should not be generalized to the entire system. In parallel, the Interior Minister ordered the immediate reassignment of two gendarmes due to misconduct; furthermore, an administrative investigation has been initiated against a deputy public prosecutor in Auch.

The final report of investigators is expected on September 5, 2026, and will include comprehensive reform proposals to improve the protection of minors.