Algerian Woman On Trial In Paris For Rape, Torture, Murder Of 12-Year-Old Girl

Dahbia Benkired, a 27-year-old Algerian woman, is on trial in Paris for the rape, torture, and murder of 12-year-old Lola Daviet, whose body was found in a trunk in the apartment building where her parents worked as caretakers. Surveillance footage captured Benkired approaching Lola after school, leading her into a flat, and later transporting the child's body concealed in a trunk. Investigators detailed that Benkired inflicted severe injuries with scissors and a box cutter, bound Lola with duct tape causing death by asphyxia, and attempted to dispose of the body while making false claims about "selling a kidney." The case has sparked political controversy in France, with far-right and conservative politicians criticizing immigration enforcement due to Benkired's undocumented status and failure to comply with a notice to leave France, though the victim's mother has urged an end to political exploitation of her daughter's death. Psychiatric evaluations concluded Benkired was competent to stand trial without evidence of major psychiatric illness. The trial has deeply affected Lola's family and the community, highlighting broader issues around immigration and public safety in France.