Mother, 72, on trial in France over 1980s torture killing of 4-year-old daughter

A 72-year-old woman was put on trial in France on Monday for allegedly torturing her four-year-old daughter to death in the 1980s, after a DNA match reopened the cold case. As she exited the Blois courthouse, she walked confidently, her head bowed and face covered by a scarf, greeted by child rights advocates who screamed "shame" and demanded justice.

Her 74-year-old husband, now separated from her, had a more challenging time entering the courtroom, supported by a cane, wearing a black cap, sunglasses, and a face mask. The mother faces charges of torture resulting in death, while her ex-partner is accused of failing to report the abuse, with the trial slated to continue until November 18.

Inass Touloub's remains were discovered in a ditch alongside a French highway in 1987. She had suffered severe injuries, including burns from iron and human bites, believed to have been inflicted by a woman, according to a forensic report seen by Agence France-Presse. Despite no missing child reports in the area, police launched a plea for assistance across 30 countries, displaying her image in numerous French schools and town halls.

The case remained unsolved until recently. However, a DNA sample from a suspect in a different violent incident matched genetic traces found on Inass's clothing and the blanket covering her body, revealing the suspect to be her brother. Consequently, the case was reopened, and the couple was arrested in 2018. They had a total of seven children together.

In custody, neither admitted to the violence that caused their daughter's demise but instead blamed each other for domestic abuse. According to government statistics, each week in France, a child dies from being beaten by their parents.