Teacher at a nursery school in Hérault, France, faces charges for acts of rape and sexual abuse against nine children and has been granted conditional release by the judiciary.
Maternal Assistant Released Under Judicial Control Following Allegations of Sexual Assault
In a significant development, the maternal assistant under investigation in Vic-la-Gardiole, Hérault, has been released under judicial control by the Montpellier Court of Appeal. The 59-year-old woman is accused of raping and sexually assaulting nine children aged 3 to 4 years old, following a complaint filed by the families of two children on July 2, 2024 [1].
The investigation, which began at the Montpellier Tribunal Judiciaire, involves allegations of rapes and sexual assaults against the young children. The prosecutor's office has stated that the facts targeted are suspected of having been committed over a period of nine months, from October 1, 2024, to July 2, 2025.
The assistant was initially held in provisional detention at the women's prison in Nîmes. Following her release, she is now subject to several obligations, including not going to Hérault, refraining from any contact with the civil parties, and a ban on exercising any activity involving minors.
The lawyer for the assistant believes the decision to release her is an expression of independent justice. However, the lawyer representing the civil parties has criticised the decision, stating it comes too early in the investigation.
The Montpellier Rectorate has expressed its support and solidarity with the children and families affected by the investigation. The town hall in Vic-la-Gardiole, where the nursery school where the assistant worked is located, has declined to comment on the matter.
The chamber of instruction of the Montpellier Court of Appeal held a closed-door hearing to study the assistant's request for release. A judicial information was opened on July 29, 2024, at the Montpellier Tribunal Judiciaire for the offenses of "rape of minors under 15" and "sexual assault on minors under 15 by a person in authority".
As of 6:00 PM, the lawyer for the assistant has not provided a reaction to the update. The investigation remains ongoing at the Montpellier Tribunal Judiciaire.
[1] Source: Local News, "Maternal Assistant Under Investigation for Alleged Sexual Assault of Nine Children in Vic-la-Gardiole, Hérault" (July 3, 2025) https://www.localnews.fr/france/herault/maternal-assistant-en-investigation-pour-suppos%C3%A9s-agressions-sexuelles-de-neuf-enfants-a-vic-la-gardiole-herault
a) Despite the ongoing investigation and allegations of sexual assault, the maternal assistant has been released under judicial control, fuelling discussions in both general-news and crime-and-justice circles.
b) The release of the maternal assistant under investigation for alleged sexual assault signals a significant event in the politics of childcare and justice, as it raises questions about the timing and fairness of such decisions.
