Kumari Shreya
Netflix’s ‘The Outreau Case’ explores the various cases of pedophilia and other forms of minor abuse that allegedly took place in Outreau, France. The documentary series sheds light on just how the legal processes took place after the suspicions surrounding the incident first emerged. Out of the apparent eighteen minor victims who were related to the case, only Jonathan Delay took part in the show and shared his own thoughts and recollections surrounding the whole situation.
Jonathan Delay was Abused By His Parents
Jonathan Delay is the third son of Myriam Badaoui and Thierry Delay and was one of the many survivors of the Outreau case. When the actions of his parents came into the limelight, his older brothers had been eight and six years old, while his younger brother was two. In the Netflix series, he recalled how his home had a closet where his father used to store his collection of skulls, using it as one of many reasons why he continues to perceive his father in a negative light.
In the show, Jonathan went into detail about not only his father’s physically abusive behavior toward them but also how he used to collect pornography. He revealed how at least one X-rated video always used to be playing in his home, which made it hard for him and his siblings to sleep. Moreover, he added that Thierry often woke the boys up by screaming at them or making loud noises. As for his mother, Myriam, he claimed that she was different when his father was not around but seemingly behaved badly towards them as well when her husband was present. In fact, Jonathan insisted that the only good thing she ever did was to call social services and have the boys removed from the household.
After Jonathan and his siblings relocated to a new home, they ended up revealing to their caretakers the details of what had happened to them while they lived with their parents. While talking to his providers, Jonathan claimed that his father used to abuse him sexually. He also added that his mother apparently used to film the act. Along with his words, Jonathan had also drawn pictures and claimed that he was not the only one who was abused by his parents.
As the case went on, more and more names continued to get added to the case, with many more alleged victims and abusers being identified. Jonathan had also identified Daniel Legrand Sr and Jr as his perpetrators, even trying to point out the farm in Belgium where he claimed he and his siblings were taken and abused. When Legrand Jr had claimed that a girl had been abused and killed, Jonathan had claimed that he remembered seeing a girl under his bed and was not sure what happened to her. Given that the body of the girl was never found, Jonathan remains unsure of many details but has remained firm about having seen a girl whom he believed might have been the one that Legrand Jr had referred to.
Where is Jonathan Delay Now?
Unlike his siblings, Jonathan Delay has chosen to identify himself publically as a victim of the Outreau case. He has also been vocal about the fact that he does not believe that complete justice has been meted out when it comes to those who allegedly abused him. He claimed that out of the 13 people who were ultimately acquitted of the charges against him, not all were innocent. He has also remained firm that Legrand Jr’s story about the little girl was not actually completely fake.
Given the impact that the Outreau case had on all of France, it has often been a subject of interest. When the story was covered in a France 2 documentary series in 2023, Jonathan was quite vocal about it not being an honest representation of the story. He seemed to disagree with the narrative that the show had undertaken, claiming that it was trying to promote the idea that adults were the first victims in the case, something he empathetically disagrees with. Hence, he requested the public to boycott the show, stating that it was a clear example of “media manipulation.”
Jonathan himself has presented his take on the case through his book ‘Au-delà de l’irréparable – Une vie d’enfant de l’affaire d’Outreau.’ It was published On February 24, 2021, and contains the survivor’s own recollections as well as his thoughts on all that transpired since the case first came to light. In all other matters, it seems like the survivor prefers to lead a quiet life and stay away from the limelight.
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