A body believed to be that of 11-year-old Lyhanna, who vanished last week in the southwestern French town of Fleurance, was discovered on Thursday in a grain silo, prompting President Emmanuel Macron to declare a “dysfunction inacceptable” in the justice system. Jérôme B., 41, the father of one of Lyhanna’s friends, was remanded in custody on Friday after prosecutors confirmed he had twice been formally accused of raping minors, yet both cases were either dropped or stalled.
The girl’s disappearance on 28 May triggered a national outcry when it emerged that local prosecutors in Auch had not applied a 2021 circular prioritising child victims of sexual abuse. A government source told *Libération* that the procureur’s office had failed to follow mandatory guidelines, allowing a known risk to remain at large. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin convened an emergency meeting at Matignon on Friday morning to assess systemic failures.
Autopsy results are expected later today to confirm whether the remains belong to Lyhanna. Meanwhile, Macron summoned Justice Minister Éric Dupond-Moretti to the Élysée, where he described the case as “a failure of the state to protect the most vulnerable.” The president’s unusually blunt language reflects mounting public anger; vigils have been held across France, and social media has erupted under the hashtag #JusticePourLyhanna.
Jérôme B. was first accused of child rape in 2020 but the case was closed after the complainant withdrew. A second allegation in 2023 was similarly shelved due to insufficient evidence. French media report that neighbours in Fleurance described him as “a quiet man who kept to himself,” underscoring how predators can evade scrutiny despite prior warnings.
The scandal has reignited debate over judicial accountability. The government has pledged to audit all child-protection files handled by the Auch prosecutor’s office since 2021. Opposition MPs, including Sacha Houlié, have filed motions to widen the inquiry, demanding testimony from the former procureur. Legal experts note that France’s 2021 circular was designed precisely to prevent such tragedies, yet compliance remains patchy.
As the nation awaits confirmation of Lyhanna’s fate, the case has become a lightning rod for broader discontent over institutional neglect. For the 11-year-old’s family, the discovery offers grim closure; for France, it exposes a system still struggling to prioritise children’s safety above procedural inertia.
President Macron condemns justice system failure after 11-year-olds body found in silo