Autopsy confirms Lyhanna, 11, was raped before death; suspect's DNA found on body

Autopsy findings

Medical examiners concluded that Lyhanna, who disappeared on 29 May, suffered rape before her death. DNA matching Jérôme Barella, the 41-year-old main suspect, was found on intimate areas of the child’s body, multiple French outlets reported on Thursday evening. The cause of death is still under investigation, and forensic analyses continue.

Suspect in custody

Barella remains in detention, charged with kidnapping and sequestration of a minor under 15. He knew the victim: his daughter attended the same school in Fleurance, and he had previously worked at the abandoned agricultural silo near Puycasquier where the body was discovered on 4 June. Investigators are now piecing together the full sequence of events leading to Lyhanna’s death.

Family’s reaction

The family reacted through their lawyer, François Roujou de Boubée, who issued a brief statement.

Face au pire pouvant arriver à une enfant et à des parents, leur colère n’a d’égal que leur dégoût. La famille demande à ce que son intimité et sa vie privée soient respectées. Aucun autre commentaire ne sera fait.

Past complaints and systemic failures

Multiple reports and complaints for sexual violence against minors were filed against Barella in previous years. A rape complaint involving a 10-year-old girl was lodged in August 2025, and other procedures followed, yet he was never taken into custody or interrogated. The suspect’s father had faced a 2013 accusation of raping his own granddaughter, a case that was shelved for lack of evidence. Barella’s brother was briefly detained after filing a defamation complaint; a check of his record revealed a prior kidnapping and rape accusation by a woman.

The case has reignited debate over the handling of sexual-abuse allegations in France. More than a hundred feminist and child-protection associations have called a national protest on 4 July to demand a comprehensive law against violence targeting women and minors.