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🇫🇷 France /Crime & Justice

French father charged with kidnapping after 11-year-old girl disappears

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • A 41-year-old father has been charged with kidnapping a minor after an 11-year-old girl, Lyhanna, disappeared in Fleurance, France.
  • The man, who is friends with the girl's family, was taken into custody after his statements were deemed inconsistent.
  • Search efforts are ongoing, with authorities deploying significant resources including divers, drones, and helicopters.

A father of two, aged 41, has been charged with the sequestration of a minor under 15 years old following the disappearance of 11-year-old Lyhanna in Fleurance, France. The girl was last seen on Friday afternoon near her middle school in the town.

We have hope of finding Lyhanna alive.

— Colonel Philippe de LaforcadeCommander of the Gers Gendarmerie Group, expressing optimism during a press briefing.

The man, whose daughter is friends with Lyhanna, was initially detained for questioning on Saturday. Authorities found his statements regarding the girl's whereabouts to be inconsistent and imprecise. He had claimed to have dropped her off at a local swimming pool, but this account was not corroborated.

A certain number of clues.

— Colonel Philippe de LaforcadeDescribing evidence gathered during a community-led search.

Lyhanna has no history of running away, and investigators have found no indication that her disappearance was voluntary. A security perimeter has been established around a leisure area near the Gers river, where the suspect allegedly left the girl. His vehicle has been seized for analysis.

We are in a logic of continuing our ramp-up, of engaging more and more resources; we know that time is passing, it is the main enemy in any disappearance of a person.

— Colonel Philippe de LaforcadeHighlighting the urgency of the search operations.

Search operations are intensifying, with police describing their commitment as maximal. Resources deployed include divers who have searched the river and lakes, tracking dogs, drones, and helicopters. A large-scale search of nearby woods and surrounding areas is underway. Authorities are urging the public not to conduct independent searches, as they could hinder official efforts and potentially endanger themselves.

judged inconsistent and imprecise.

— Clémence MeyerThe prosecutor of Auch describing the suspect's statements.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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