Lodève: to protect her daughter, Laurie moves with her children into a caravan in the city center

La maman demande une maison saine et adaptée pour continuer de s’occuper de sa fille handicapée. ALAIN MENDEZ – ALAIN MENDEZ

Giulia, 4 years old, suffers from a severe congenital neurological disorder, requiring sterile care: her mother has chosen to leave her apartment, considered unsanitary, to finally find a solution.

As she settled into her caravan with her three children in front of the Lodève Museum, Laurie Benetoux sent out a distress call. She wants to save Giulia, her 4-year-old daughter, who suffers from several malformations and a severe and extremely rare congenital neurological problem, incompatible with the state of their apartment on Rue de la République that she has chosen to leave.

Care incompatible with the state of their accommodation

“Giulia has spent most of her life in hospital and centers”, says the 31-year-old former police officer from Toulouse years old. She left her job to be a caregiver for her disabled daughter and look after her twin brother Enzo, who has been in school like their big sister Kelia since the start of the school year at the Prémerlet school.

"We decided to come and live a new life last May in Lodève where I found accommodation that seemed suitable to me, continues the mother.But very quickly we were bothered by the smell of cat urine that hangs around the building or in the yard, as well as by flea problems…"

Tensions then arose with the owner, who also lives in the building. "My daughter has a medical bed. She needs sterile care. She lives with a urine bag at night, incompatible with the state of this apartment."

Giulia hospitalized after fever attacks

Everything accelerated a few days ago, when Giulia was taken by fever attacks, having to be admitted to the emergency room. "My daughter was hospitalized from September 20 to 25 for a series of tests, explains Laurie,and the doctors diagnosed her with an intestinal infection caused by bacteria from cat urine and her environment. That was the trigger for me", she continues, well monitored and aided by the city's Educational Success Program.

"I had already alerted the owner several times, Laurie continues. I saw a social worker, the mayor, the sub-prefecture, the police, associations. I created an account on the networks to follow Giulia's story… I did everything I could." Before making a strong decision. With her partner, the young woman made a round trip to Toulouse to pick up an old caravan and set it up, Saturday, between the Auric square and the museum, from where she has not moved since.

Many testimonies of support

"Social services can't do anything for us. So we're going to live in a caravan in the city center." And messages of support from passers-by and local residents are pouring in, sometimes with offers of accommodation.

"It really warms the heart. Giulia has already had eight operations since she was born. She deserves to be treated with dignity,", concludes Laurie Benetoux, torn between emotion and anger. But determined to stay on the public highway until a decent alternative housing solution has been found for her.

When questioned on his side, the owner defends himself: “I only have a cat, which never goes out. They, on the other hand, have a dog, he indicates. It's a decent building but yes, the 1st floor apartment is not suitable for a disabled child. I alerted the mayor and it is up to the social services of the city and the community of communes to find them suitable housing."

Laurie left her job as a police officer in Toulouse to be her daughter's caregiver and come to the South, to live in Lodève. ALAIN MENDEZ – ALAIN MENDEZ

“A complex and frequent situation in Hérault”

“It's a complex situation and unfortunately it's not an isolated case in Hérault, says the mayor and departmental councilor Gaëlle Lévêque. She points out the lack of social housing and reinforces our fight against degraded housing. This is why we have introduced a rental permit in Lodève which comes into force on October 1st. I am aware of the urgency with her disabled granddaughter. I received Laurie Benetoux last week and since then, we have been trying, with the City, the Intercommunal Social Action Center and the Department's services to find a solution for her."

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