After the Lyhanna case: 88,000 cases involving sexual violence against minors to be reviewed

Paris – 15 July 2026: France’s justice and security authorities have launched a nationwide review of 88,000 cases involving sexual violence against minors following the Lyhanna case. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin ordered the operation at the beginning of June and set 14 July as the deadline. According to the ministry, the figure concerns cases recorded by the police and gendarmerie that are being reassessed for urgency, investigative status and necessary follow-up measures.

The trigger was the disappearance of eleven-year-old Lyhanna on 29 May 2026 after school in Fleurance, in the Gers department. The child’s body was found on 4 June. A suspect, who had already been the subject of three proceedings for sexual offences, was remanded in custody on 1 June on charges of abducting and unlawfully detaining a minor under the age of 15. The official reviews are intended to clarify how information and cases had previously been handled.

The initially stated figure of 70,000 cases was raised to 88,000 at the end of June. Of these, 7,452 proceedings concern suspected crimes in which a suspect is known. The difference does not necessarily point to newly filed complaints. Rather, the stocktaking process identified further cases whose legal classification, transmission or processing had not yet been completed.

The review does not prejudge criminal guilt, nor does it automatically lead to charges. Its purpose is to determine whether investigations need to be continued, accelerated or supplemented with new measures. According to media reports, individual public prosecutors’ offices prioritized cases and initiated further steps. However, as of 15 July, no nationwide, officially published final report covering all consequences of the review was available.

The case has also highlighted an institutional problem: investigations into violence against children often involve demanding evidentiary requirements, particularly vulnerable victims and numerous agencies. The joint preliminary inquiry by the general inspectorates for justice, the gendarmerie and education is therefore examining not only the specific sequence of events in the Gers, but also the channels of communication between investigators, public prosecutors’ offices and other authorities.

The statistical picture is further distorted by the special operation. The Interior Ministry reported a 77 percent increase in registered sexual offences in June 2026 compared with the previous month. This jump was largely due to the subsequent consolidation of older cases; public attention may also have prompted new complaints. The monthly figures therefore do not allow any direct conclusion that the number of offences actually committed in June increased.

Politically, the key question remains whether the short-term stocktaking will lead to lasting changes. A robust reform would need to bring together responsibilities, digital case management, specialization and staffing plans. The newly identified total of 88,000 cases shows above all that the protection of minors does not depend solely on new directives, but on the continuous ability of the police, gendarmerie and justice system to rapidly consolidate and legally assess reports.