Outrage has erupted in France after it emerged the main suspect in the case of an 11-year-old girl missing since last week had been repeatedly accused of abusing children but no action was taken to protect others.
"What we're discovering day after day is absolutely unbearable," government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon said on Thursday.
"It raises a profound question: what importance do we give to victims' testimonies? How are investigations conducted?" she told the Europe 1 and Cnews broadcasters.
Lyhanna, 11, went missing on Friday near the village of Fleurance in southwestern France, after she was last seen getting into a man's car.
A 41-year-old father of two children has been detained as the key suspect.
