Mother on Trial in France over 1980s Killing of Four-Year-Old

A 72-year-old woman, Halima El Bakhti, went on trial in France for allegedly torturing her four-year-old daughter to death in the 1980s, after a Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) match reopened the cold case.

El Bakhti appeared before a court in Blois on Monday, keeping her face covered with a scarf throughout the proceedings. 

As she left the courtroom at lunchtime, child rights activists confronted her, shouting for justice and condemning the alleged abuse.

Her estranged husband, 74-year-old Ahmed Touloub, also appeared in court, arriving with the aid of a walking stick, wearing a black cap, sunglasses and a face mask.

El Bakhti faces a charge of torture resulting in death, while Touloub is accused of failing to report the abuse. The trial is scheduled to continue until November 18.

The case dates back to 1987, when the remains of their daughter, Inass Touloub, were discovered in a roadside ditch beside a French motorway.

A forensic examination seen by AFP revealed extensive injuries, including iron burns and human bite marks believed to have been inflicted by a woman.

With no missing child reported in the area, investigators launched an international appeal for information across 30 countries. Her photograph was also distributed to tens of thousands of schools and town halls across France, but the investigation failed to identify her or establish what happened.

The case was reopened decades later after DNA collected from a suspect in an unrelated violent crime matched genetic material recovered from Inass’s clothing and the blanket covering her body.

Further examination established that the DNA belonged to her brother, leading investigators back to the family. Her parents were arrested in 2018.

The couple had seven children, including Inass. During questioning, neither admitted responsibility for the violence that caused their daughter’s death. Instead, they accused each other of domestic abuse.

Their defence lawyers requested further medical assessments, citing health concerns affecting both defendants. Touloub reported memory difficulties, while El Bakhti was said to be suffering from severe kidney pain.

The court approved an additional medical assessment for Touloub, expected to take place in the coming days, but rejected the request concerning El Bakhti.

Government statistics indicate that a child dies from parental beatings every week in France.