(Central News Agency, Fleurance, France, June 7, Combined Foreign Reports) The suspected murder of an 11-year-old girl has ignited anger in French society over the failure of child protection mechanisms. The grieving parents of the girl joined thousands of people today in a silent march held in her memory.

According to AFP, Lyhanna went missing on May 29 near the town of Fleurance in the southwest, and her body was found last week.

She was last seen getting into a man's car. Public anger has been growing since it was revealed that the main suspect, who has been arrested, had previously been accused of sexual crimes against children.

Under a scorching afternoon sun, the streets of Fleurance were filled with people participating in the march. Following the family's wishes, only local elected officials attended; no national political figures were present.

The march was conducted in complete silence. Participants wore white shirts, and some carried white flowers. Local authorities estimated that around 6,000 people took part.

A banner at the front of the procession read, 'Lyhanna. Never again! We love you, we miss you,' held by her father and other community members. Her mother walked further back in the procession, and her brother also attended.

The main suspect, 41-year-old Jerome B., is the father of a friend Lyhanna knew from school.

Despite facing charges including four counts of suspected rape of a minor, he was never convicted, leading President Emmanuel Macron to denounce an 'unacceptable' failure in the justice system last week.

Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin also made a rare apology to Lyhanna's family, saying he was 'furious' about the judicial errors in handling Jerome B.'s case.

In an interview with LCI TV today, Darmanin said he would ask prosecutors to re-examine 'all complaints concerning children,' approximately 70,000 cases, by July 14.

'I will not go on vacation this year,' he said, emphasizing that 'no senior magistrate will go on vacation' until he has met with every prosecutor to thoroughly review the current situation.

At the end of the march, an aunt of Lyhanna, accompanied by Lyhanna's parents and the mayor, told the crowd, 'Our entire small world has collapsed.'

She added, 'Lyhanna, seeing so many people gathered for you from heaven, you must be moved. Lyhanna, forgive us, forgive us for everything you had to endure.'

Fleurance, located 80 kilometers from the regional center of Toulouse, has a population of about 6,000. Mayor Gregory Bobbato said, 'Today, we have become an angry town, an angry region, an angry country.'

Bobbato said Lyhanna's death is 'the latest act of a tragedy that has been ongoing for too long' and that 'we must never again let children become prey for lawless predators.'

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  • Source: CNA (Central News Agency)
  • Category: Taiwan