New twist in the investigation into the death of Lyhanna, 11 years old, found dead in Gers. According to information revealed by BFMTV, the autopsy established that the child was the victim of rape. The biological profile of Jérôme Barella, already indicted for kidnapping and sequestration of a minor under 15 years old, was found on the girl’s intimate areas.
While the exact causes of death are not yet known and assessments are still underway, this revelation highlights the central role of the medico-legal autopsy in criminal investigations. But what does this examination, often unknown to the general public, really allow us to discover?
Lyhanna’s autopsy revealed key elements
According to information provided by BFMTV, the autopsy carried out on Lyhanna’s body revealed that she had been the victim of rape. The analyzes also made it possible to find the biological profile of Jérôme Barella on the child’s intimate areas.
These findings constitute a major step in the investigation. They must now allow magistrates and investigators to specify the exact circumstances of the facts. For the moment, the causes of the girl’s death have not yet been established with certainty.
Questioned by True Medical, Michel Sapanet, retired forensic pathologist and former head of the forensic medicine department at Poitiers University Hospital, however, calls for caution: “I need certain material so that I can answer.“According to him, it is still too early to draw definitive conclusions until all the expert opinions have been produced.
In a press release relayed by BFMTV, the family’s lawyer, Me François Roujou de Boubée, evokes “the worst that can happen to a child and parents” and asks for respect for the privacy of loved ones.
A forensic autopsy is ordered when a death appears suspicious
Unlike the autopsy carried out for medical purposes, the medico-legal autopsy takes place as part of a judicial investigation.
According to Professor Laurent Fanton (interviewed in a previous article), head of the forensic medicine department of the Hospices Civils de Lyon, it is generally ordered by a public prosecutor or an investigating judge when a death is violent, suspicious or likely to involve the intervention of a third party.
Its objective is twofold: to determine the causes of death and to search for possible evidence useful to the investigation.
The family cannot oppose this procedure when it is decided by the courts.
How does this exam actually take place?
The forensic autopsy is conducted by one or two forensic pathologists at a forensic institute.
The examination begins with a careful observation of the exterior of the body. Specialists look for possible injuries, traces of violence, bruises or any other clue that may shed light on the circumstances of the death.
They also take various samples intended to collect biological or genetic elements.
Next comes the internal review. All organs are analyzed to identify possible lesions, hemorrhages or abnormalities likely to explain death.
Michel Sapanet recalls that this examination is often decisive: “The autopsy provides a lot of information.” It makes it possible in particular to search for traces of violence, to establish a mechanism of death and to collect numerous elements of evidence useful to justice.
DNA, toxicology, scanner: essential additional analyzes
The autopsy is not limited to observing the body.
Forensic doctors can carry out numerous additional examinations:
- DNA analyzes to identify a victim or find traces left by an alleged perpetrator;
- Toxicological analyzes to check for the presence of alcohol, drugs or medication;
- Microscopic examinations of tissues and organs;
- A post-mortem scanner to detect certain lesions invisible to the naked eye.
In the Lyhanna case, it was precisely the biological analyzes carried out as part of the autopsy which made it possible to highlight elements that are now at the heart of the investigation.
Michel Sapanet emphasizes, however, that the presence of DNA must always be interpreted in context. “DNA traces prove that a person’s cells are on the body with certainty. Either there was contact or there was transfer“, he explains. He cites in particular the example of an indirect transfer of cells after contact with another person.
Time can complicate the work of experts
If the autopsy constitutes an essential tool, its effectiveness also depends on the state in which the body is found.
“The causes of death in these cases are often easy to determine, except when the body is damaged“, explains Michel Sapanet. According to him, certain environmental factors can complicate medico-legal findings. “This may have been the case with Lyhanna because she went a while without being found and the temperatures must not have helped.“
The specialist also recalls that “time is against evidence“, some traces may disappear or be altered with the passing days.
A key report to understand the circumstances of the death
At the end of the examination, the forensic doctor transmits his conclusions to the magistrate responsible for the case.
A pre-report is generally submitted within fifteen days following the autopsy, then a final report within a period of up to two months.
In the most sensitive criminal cases, investigations can also be carried out by specialized services. Michel Sapanet also underlines that “in this type of case, the procedure is secret“, which explains why certain information is only communicated to the public sparsely.
In the event of a homicide, the work of the forensic pathologist does not end there. He may then be called to testify before the Assize Court to explain his findings and answer questions from the court.
Often associated with detective fiction, the autopsy remains above all an essential scientific tool. In particularly sensitive cases like that of Lyhanna, it allows decisive evidence to emerge and helps investigators establish the truth.