Inspectors Find Procedural Failures in Handling of Complaint Before Lyhanna’s Death

Overview

• The joint inspection report was delivered to Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on Monday, June 22, and concluded there were “dysfonctionnements” and “erreurs individuelles” in how a key August 2025 complaint against Jérôme Barella was handled.
• Inspectors found the August 2025 complaint was not treated as a priority after it reached the parquet d’Auch, citing repeated delays, slow paper routing from Toulouse, poor file orientation and a lack of procedural follow‑up by local gendarmes.
• The government ordered prosecutors‑general to re‑examine about 70,000 child‑related complaints by July 14, set an interim inspection update for early July and a final report for September 5, and has signaled possible administrative sanctions if professional faults are established.
• Forensic work reported separately shows Lyhanna was raped and that traces of Jérôme Barella’s DNA were found on her body, underscoring why earlier missed steps are now the focus of scrutiny.
• Next steps include parallel administrative inquiries that can lead to sanctions reviewed by the Conseil supérieur de la magistrature, legal complaints by families against the State, and renewed pressure for a broad legislative package on sexual violence against minors.