Overview
- The Carrefour Market in Hourtin, destroyed in a March 8 fire, was linked to a 12-year-old who confessed and said she lit clothes she found in shopping trolleys.
- Gendarmes from Lesparre‑Médoc identified the resident using store security video and placed her in custody on March 19.
- A psychiatric exam found she had enough judgment to be held responsible, and a child judge on March 20 ordered healthcare, a ban from Hourtin, and a night curfew unless accompanied by an educator.
- The 3,000‑square‑meter store was wiped out with about €7 million in losses and no injuries, and nearby small shops say their stock was ruined.
- Local interviews captured both sympathy for the girl and anger over supervision, while Le Figaro focused on the legal findings and TF1 emphasized the community fallout.