Dad ‘dies of grief’ after daughter, 12 ‘raped, tortured and beheaded by illegal immigrant’ | World | News
The father of a French girl, who was allegedly raped and murdered by an Algerian woman illegally residing in France, died from grief following his daughter’s brutal death, according to his family.
Lola Daviet, 12, was seen on surveillance returning home from school on October 14, 2022, only to be discovered dead in a trunk at her parents’ workplace hours later. Dahbia Benkired, an Algerian woman living in the same apartment complex under an expulsion order, is accused of raping, torturing, and murdering the young girl.
Benkired, then 24, allegedly lured Lola into her apartment before attacking her with scissors and a box cutter, partially severing her head. Lola’s head, nose, and mouth were bound with tape, leading to her suffocation. It was alleged that Benkired forced the young girl to undress and perform a sex act.
The horrifying details of Lola’s ordeal were revealed in court this week as Benkired’s trial commenced.
On Wednesday, Lola’s heartbroken mother, Delphine Daviet, recounted in court how her husband, Johan, who had been sober, resumed drinking on the day their daughter was killed. “He drank from morning to night,” she said.
She stated that he “died of grief” and was tormented by “his demons.” Johan died in February last year.
Before his death, he had hung a letter on the door of Benkired’s apartment that read: “My darling, I still don’t understand why there was so much cruelty and barbarity towards you, you who were so kind.”
“I can’t wait to see you again,” the note continued, signed by: “Your dad, who loves you for life.”
Lola’s brother Thibault Daviet, also spoke in court behalf of the whole family, including his late father.
He said: “I would like to speak on behalf of the whole family… and of course my father, who is unfortunately no longer here because of the same person. We would like you to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, to all of France and to us”.
The court was presented with disturbing footage showing Lola’s alleged murderer hauling a trunk containing her remains into a bar. Security cameras also captured the migrant opening a suitcase with the girl’s body inside while seated at a crowded Paris establishment hours following the killing.
According to officials, the digits ‘1’ and ‘0’ were mysteriously inscribed on the victim’s feet. Lola suffered 38 injuries to her back and neck before succumbing to suffocation, a physician testified to the court.
“There is physical, psychological and moral suffering”, the doctor said, as images of her injuries were shown to the court on day two of Benkired’s trial. “Asphyxia is very anxiety-provoking, it goes beyond physical pain. There were probably one or more impacts to the head, which creates physical pain.”
Several family members exited the courtroom as images of Lola’s injuries were displayed.
The court was informed of other horrifying details, including that Lola had “visible traumatic injuries” to her private parts.
“There was hemorrhagic trauma to various parts of the body, particularly to the child’s private parts,” the doctor further explained. She was also allegedly forced to perform a sexual act on Benkired and had a “large wound” on her face, a slashed back and her “head was partially severed.”
Lola was seen entering her apartment building and conversing with Benkired around 3pm before being led into an apartment. Benkired is accused of dragging Lola’s body around Paris in a plastic trunk, before discarding it on the street where it was discovered by a homeless man.
Lola’s family left the courtroom when distressing images of Lola’s naked body crammed into the suitcase with her arms tied together and face completely covered in tape were displayed.
Benkired relocated to France in 2013 at the age of 14. However, she was issued an expulsion order after overstaying a student visa in August 2022, just two months prior to Lola’s murder.
