Former daycare employee sentenced to 25 years in prison for Lisa’s death caused by Destop

Three years after the tragic death of 11-month-old Lisa, justice has delivered its verdict. On April 3, 2025, the Rhône Assize Court sentenced Myriam Jaouen, a former employee of the People & Baby daycare, to 25 years of criminal imprisonment. The accused, who forced the child to ingest Destop, a corrosive product, was found guilty of “torture and acts of barbarism resulting in death without intent to kill.”

The events took place on June 22, 2022, when Lisa was dropped off at the Danton Rêve daycare in Lyon by her father. Just minutes later, Myriam Jaouen forced the child to ingest the caustic liquid, explaining that she could no longer tolerate the baby’s crying. While the accused admitted to the act during her police custody, she has always denied the intent to kill. During the trial, the jurors decided to reclassify the original charge of murder to torture and barbarism.

The context and circumstances of the act

The court took into account expert analysis, which highlighted a “turning point” for the accused, a 30-year-old woman, according to her lawyers. They argued that she was mentally overwhelmed by her role as a childcare worker, pointing out her lack of training and experience. Myriam Jaouen had been hired by People & Baby, despite showing signs of emotional and mental fragility.

Lisa’s parents expressed their anger and sorrow at the lack of clear explanations from the accused. In her final speech, Myriam Jaouen expressed her regrets but was unable to answer the grieving parents’ questions, despite the palpable emotion in the courtroom.

A verdict and sentences in response to an incomprehensible act

The defense highlighted the accused’s intellectual and emotional delay, arguing that she should never have been employed in an environment where she was responsible for caring for children. However, the court did not accept any mitigating factors related to a psychiatric disorder. The absence of any mental impairment was confirmed, despite some psychological fragility.

Myriam Jaouen’s sentence includes a period of parole ineligibility of 12 years and a permanent ban from working in any profession related to childcare. This sentence serves as a reminder of the seriousness of the act and the unacceptability of such behavior in a childcare setting.