France: 12-year-old schoolgirl dies by suicide after reporting rape

Jade, a 12-year-old schoolgirl in Pons, Charente-Maritime, died by suicide on October 31, 2026. The Saintes prosecutor’s office opened a judicial investigation into rape on November 4, following an inquiry launched in January: Jade said sexual encounters with a 16-year-old high-school student, on three occasions between October and December 2025, were forced, while he described them as consensual. Prosecutor Benjamin Alla said Jade had been receiving psychological care and showed signs of vulnerability and broader distress. The boy was later assaulted, suffering injuries that caused ten days of work incapacity; Jade’s family announced a memorial march in Pons for November 11.