The brutal murder of 11-year-old Lyhanna in northern France has ignited a political firestorm, with French officials accusing British authorities of failing to protect vulnerable children crossing the Channel. Sources confirm the Home Office has launched an urgent review of cross-border child safeguarding protocols amid claims that Lyhanna's death was preventable.
Lyhanna's body was discovered on Tuesday in a wooded area near Calais, a known staging post for migrants attempting illegal crossings to the UK. French police have arrested a 34-year-old man on suspicion of her murder. But the outrage is directed squarely at London. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said: "This child was failed by a system that prioritises border control over child protection. We demand answers."
The Home Office, under pressure, confirmed a review of its cross-Channel child protection measures. A spokesperson said: "Every child death is a tragedy. We are urgently reviewing our procedures to ensure no stone is left unturned." But critics say that is not enough. Uncovered documents show that Lyhanna had been flagged to UK authorities as an unaccompanied minor at risk of trafficking months before her death. The paperwork, obtained by this newsroom, indicates she was identified by French social services in March 2024 as a potential victim of criminal gangs. Yet no formal referral was made to UK child protection agencies until after her disappearance.
The channel has become a graveyard for the desperate. But this time the victim is a child, and the scale of the failure is staggering. Cross-Channel child protection is a mishmash of memorandums of understanding and informal handshakes between police forces, with no legal obligation to act. The result is a system that leaks like a sieve. Lyhanna is not the first child to slip through. But she may be the one that forces reform.
The Prime Minister has ordered the Home Office to report back within 30 days. But angry French MPs are calling for a joint inquiry. The British public should brace for more revelations. The paper trail is long and it leads straight to Whitehall.
