French prosecutors have charged ten men, including the child’s own father, for the alleged rape of a five-year-old boy who was drugged during “chemsex” parties.
The prosecutor’s office in Lille announced the charges on Tuesday. The accused, aged between 29 and 50, are charged with “acts of sexual violence aggravated by the use of chemical substances” against the minor.
An investigation was launched on February 15, 2025, following a report of a chemsex party held the previous night. Authorities stated the child was “put in contact with adult males by his own father.”
The case involves alleged crimes committed in Lille between November 2024 and February 14, 2025. It has been referred to an investigating judge for charges of “rape and sexual assault involving the administration of a substance to the victim, without their knowledge, to impair their judgement or control their actions.”
While all ten men face charges, reports suggest their alleged involvement varies. According to the local ‘Dernieres Nouvelles d’Alsace’ newspaper, at least one suspect is not accused of direct participation but of receiving a video of the abuse and failing to alert authorities.
Tragedy struck the case in June of last year. “One of the main suspects killed himself while being held in pretrial detention,” the prosecutor’s office confirmed, without revealing his identity.
The child is now in a safe environment. “The child is being looked after by his mother, from whom the father had separated before the alleged abuse,” officials stated.
This harrowing case has cast a renewed spotlight on the dangers of “chemsex”—the practice of using powerful drugs to intensify sexual encounters. Health campaigners warn the trend, noted in parts of Europe’s gay community, leads to severe risks including addiction, overdose, and increased transmission of infections like HIV.
