Key Facts

• Lyhanna was buried in the town of Fleurance, southwest of Toulouse, with local residents and officials showing support for her family.
• Jérôme Barella, 41, was the main suspect and had been reported nine months earlier for abusing a 10-year-old girl, but was never questioned by police.
• US authorities had alerted French police in 2023 about Barella’s suspicious online activity related to child abuse images, but the warning was considered weak and went largely unacted upon until after his arrest.
• Barella’s brother, Yannick, has been investigated for rape based on complaints from two women, including a minor, which he denies.
• Their father, Joël Barella, is under investigation for alleged sexual abuse of his partner’s granddaughters from a reopened 2019 case; he denies the accusations.
• Lyhanna had been seen in Jérôme Barella’s car on the day she disappeared; her body was found eight days after his arrest.
• The case has caused national outrage over failures in France’s justice system to protect minors and handle sex crimes efficiently.
• French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has faced calls to resign but remains in office, as a poll showed most people want him to stay.
• The Prime Minister promises to increase penalties for child rapists and set investigation deadlines for sex abuse claims involving minors.