A 9-year-old boy was rescued in eastern France after being found locked inside his father’s utility van. Authorities discovered the child in a severely malnourished state, unable to walk, following an alert from a neighbor.
Discovery and Condition
Police were alerted to the situation on Monday in the village of Hagenbach, near the borders of Switzerland and Germany. According to prosecutor Nicolas Heitz, officers forced open the van and found the child in a distressing condition.
- The boy was found lying in a fetal position, naked, and covered by a blanket on a mound of trash and near excrement.
- He was severely malnourished and had lost the ability to walk due to prolonged confinement.
Allegations and Detention
Investigators questioned the boy’s father, who stated that he had placed his son in the van in November 2024. The father claimed the action was taken to "protect" the boy from his partner, who allegedly intended to send the child to a psychiatric hospital.
- The prosecutor noted that there was no prior medical record indicating the boy had psychiatric issues, and he had maintained good grades in school.
- The boy told investigators that he had experienced "big difficulties" with his father’s partner and believed his father had no choice but to lock him up.
Following the discovery, the father was detained on preliminary charges of kidnapping and other related offenses.
Legal Proceedings and Aftermath
The boy’s father’s partner denied knowledge of the boy’s whereabouts and was charged with failure to help a minor in danger. She was subsequently released under judicial supervision.
- The boy’s 12-year-old sister and the 10-year-old daughter of the partner were placed under the care of social services.
- The prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation to determine if any third parties were aware of the boy’s prolonged detention.
Authorities confirmed that friends and family had previously believed the boy was in a psychiatric institution, while his teachers were reportedly informed that he had transferred to a different school.
