Horror Unfolds in French Court: 12-Year-Old Lola Daviet’s Murder Shocks Nation
The brutal torture and murder of 12-year-old Lola Daviet has left France reeling. Forensic experts uncovered the horrific scale of abuse she endured before her death last October. The accused, 27-year-old Dahbia Benkired, stands charged with raping, torturing, and killing the schoolgirl.
Medical Experts Reveal Shocking Abuse
At the Assize Court, a medical expert painted a chilling picture of Lola’s final moments. She suffered “physical, psychological and moral suffering” before dying from asphyxiation caused by multiple wounds to her neck, back, and genitals.
“There is physical, psychological and moral suffering,” the doctor told the court. “Asphyxia is very anxiety-provoking, it goes beyond physical pain.”
Graphic photos showed Lola with a severed neck, slashed back, a deep facial wound, and her head partially severed. Witnesses revealed she was forced to perform sexual acts on Benkired during the attack.
Bound, Suffocated, and Stuffed into a Suitcase in Paris
After the horrific murder, Benkired allegedly taped Lola’s mouth and nose shut, bound her with duct tape, and stuffed her naked body into a plastic trunk. CCTV footage captured Benkired wandering into a busy Paris bar hours after the killing, casually opening the suitcase.
- Benkired entered the bar carrying two suitcases plus the trunk containing Lola’s body.
- She briefly opened the trunk while chatting with a man, who had no idea what was inside.
- Later, disturbing images were shown in court, forcing Lola’s family to flee the courtroom in distress.
Motive Emerges: Revenge Over Apartment Access
Security cameras show Benkired intercepting the schoolgirl after class, forcing her to undress and wash before subjecting her to sexual assault and torture lasting two hours. Afterward, she dragged the body across Paris and dumped it where a homeless man found it around 11pm.
Investigators reveal a bitter motive: Lola’s mother refused to give Benkired an access badge for their apartment, despite her sister handing over a flat key. Disturbing internet searches for “witchcraft” before the murder suggest the killing was planned.
Defendant’s Dark Past and Illegal Status Under Scrutiny
Benkired, an Algerian national facing deportation, admitted to childhood abuse and a drug-fuelled mental breakdown, claiming she smoked up to 20 cannabis joints daily. Despite an expulsion order served in August 2022, she remained in France.
“I feel free in France. In Algeria, we have no life. I studied here, I grew up here, I have my whole family here,” Benkired told the court.
Family Demands Justice as Trial Rages On
Lola’s family, wearing T-shirts branding her “the sun of our life,” demanded justice with heartfelt pleas. Her brother Thibault cried out for “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”
Benkired offered a brief apology in court: “I regret what I did.”
The trial continues, with the accused facing life imprisonment if found guilty. The case has ignited fierce political debate over immigration enforcement, given Benkired’s visa overstay and ignored deportation order.
Meanwhile, Lola’s mother urges politicians to stop exploiting her daughter’s tragic death for political gain.
