Trial Begins for 1987 Murder of Inass Touloub
Halima El Bakhti faces court for the torture and death of her young daughter.
1The Trial Opens
The Blois Assize Court has commenced the trial of 72-year-old Halima El Bakhti. She stands accused of acts of torture and barbarity resulting in the death of her four-year-old daughter, Inass Touloub. The child's body was discovered on the side of the A10 motorway on August 11, 1987, decades before this legal proceeding.
2Conflicting Memories
During the hearing, the defendant admitted to committing acts of violence against her daughter but claimed to have significant memory lapses regarding specific injuries. While she acknowledged slapping the child, she repeatedly denied knowledge of severe bite marks and multiple fractures found on the victim's body, describing the period as a dark time.
3Early Life Separation
Inass was born in Morocco on July 3, 1983, but was separated from her mother at just ten days old. The defendant claims her husband, Ahmed Touloub, forced her to leave the infant with her grandmother to work in a family grocery store in Puteaux, France, creating a profound emotional disconnect between them.
4Strained Reintegration
When the child was brought to France a year later, the mother reported that Inass failed to recognize her. The child struggled to adapt to her new environment, exhibiting signs of distress, including crying and refusal to eat. The defendant described these early days as the beginning of a difficult, isolated domestic life.
5Forensic Evidence Contradictions
The court confronted the defendant with medical evidence showing multiple untreated fractures, including the tibia, elbows, and wrists. Forensic experts have definitively ruled out the father as the source of the bite marks, as his dentition does not match the injuries, directly challenging the defendant's attempts to shift blame onto her ex-husband.
6The Day of Death
The defendant testified that she discovered her daughter dead in the car while the family was traveling to Morocco. She claims her husband, Ahmed Touloub, stopped on the A10 and made the decision to abandon the body. This version of events contradicts the testimony provided by the couple's older daughters during the investigation.
7Lack of Intervention
The presiding judge questioned why the mother never sought help from social services or school teachers, despite the visible suffering of her child. The defendant maintained a monotone demeanor throughout the questioning, expressing regret for her parenting while simultaneously attempting to minimize her individual culpability for the fatal injuries sustained by Inass.
8Legal and Social Impact
This trial revisits a tragic case that has remained unresolved for decades. By examining the systemic failures and the specific acts of violence, the court aims to establish accountability for the child's death. The proceedings highlight the long-term pursuit of justice in cases involving extreme domestic abuse and historical criminal negligence.
Original article: 20 Minutes — Trial Begins for 1987 Murder of Inass Touloub