Fleurance – 05 June 2026: Following the disappearance of 11-year-old Lyhanna on the afternoon of 29 May 2026 in front of her secondary school in Fleurance, police announced six days later shocking news: the girl’s body was found in an abandoned grain silo about 15 kilometres from her place of residence. Her identity was confirmed through DNA testing. The exact circumstances of her death are still under investigation.
During the investigation, Jérôme B., 41, and the father of one of Lyhanna’s friends, was arrested as the main suspect. The man had previous convictions for sexual abuse of minors. Particularly alarming is the fact that a complaint had already been filed against him in August 2025 for repeated sexual violence against a minor daughter, but this had not led to his detention. On the day Lyhanna disappeared, Jérôme B. had been seen near the school, and there are witnesses who state that he was later with the student in his car.
On 1 June 2026, the public prosecutor’s office brought charges of kidnapping and unlawful deprivation of liberty involving a minor under the age of 15. Jérôme B. was then placed in pre-trial detention.
The case sparked nationwide outrage, raising questions about the effectiveness and speed of response of the French justice system. President Emmanuel Macron and Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin criticised bureaucratic obstacles and insufficient measures by the authorities. In response to the tragic events, an independent inquiry was launched to determine whether and where shortcomings or errors occurred in the handling of the suspect.
The community of Fleurance is in shock. The mayor, Grégory Bobbato, stressed the urgent need to improve safety measures for children and to take victims seriously at an early stage. He called for reform of protection mechanisms to prevent similar future tragedies.
Lyhanna’s family is still deeply grieving and is calling for strict justice for the girl. They hope that the ongoing investigation will shed light on the facts and hold those responsible fully accountable.
The Lyhanna case has sparked a broad public debate about the protection of minors and the handling of repeat offenders in the justice system. Experts and representatives of children’s rights organisations are calling for psychological support and better coordination between law enforcement and social services in order to protect at-risk children at an early stage.
The investigation has not yet been concluded. The authorities emphasise that new evidence will contribute not only to clarifying the circumstances of Lyhanna’s tragic death, but also to eliminating systemic vulnerabilities in the protection of minors.
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