GERS REGION — French authorities announced on Thursday that a child's body was found in a remote agricultural area, dressed in clothing similar to that worn by missing girl Lyhanna. A 41-year-old man has been taken into custody in connection with the case.
Lyhanna went missing on May 29 after school. Police notices described her as wearing a black-and-white striped top, black shorts, and yellow socks with One Piece branding. Police and volunteers conducted a six-day search for the girl before the body was discovered. An autopsy has been ordered for the discovered body.
French media reported the man was seen in front of Lyhanna's school in Fleurance. Surveillance cameras later showed the suspect driving with the girl in his vehicle. The suspect then told investigators that he dropped the girl off near a municipal swimming pool.
Authorities stated that multiple complaints, including rape allegations, had previously been filed against the suspect by young girls and their families. Authorities investigated a 2020 allegation of rape at the suspect's home, but the case was closed in 2024 due to insufficient evidence. The suspect was also the subject of an ongoing police investigation for alleged rape at the time Lyhanna disappeared. An active investigation includes an allegation that the suspect repeatedly raped a child at his residence between 2024 and 2025. Recently, another allegation of raping a minor was filed against the suspect. The ongoing rape investigation was transferred between multiple jurisdictions.
The French government launched an investigation into judicial procedures related to the suspect's case history. President Emmanuel Macron commented on the case on Friday during a visit to Montenegro. "We cannot look her family in the face and say everything went well," Macron said.
Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin stated that officials will review the duration of casework transfers between jurisdictions, the use of paper for transmitting case information, instances where police did not follow orders, and the failure to intervene despite months of complaints. Darmanin said, "It's completely unacceptable." He also said, "We are all terrified by this malfunction."