A nine-year-old boy has been rescued after allegedly being kept locked inside his father’s utility van in eastern France since 2024 – a case that has stunned the quiet village where it unfolded.
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The child was reportedly discovered on Monday in Hagenbach, near the borders with Switzerland and Germany, after a neighbour alerted police to the “sounds of a child” coming from a parked vehicle. According to local prosecutor Nicolas Heitz, officers forced the van open and found the boy in a dire condition.
He was lying in a foetal position, naked under a blanket, on top of a mound of rubbish and close to excrement. Authorities said he was severely malnourished and unable to walk, having been confined in a seated position for an extended period. The child has since been taken to hospital for treatment, while his father has been detained.
Investigators believe the boy had been living in the van since November 2024. His father told police he had confined the child “to protect him”, claiming his partner wanted to send the then seven-year-old to a psychiatric hospital.
However, the prosecutor said there is no record of the boy having any psychiatric condition prior to his disappearance. On the contrary, he had reportedly been doing well at school.
In interviews with investigators, the boy described having “big difficulties” with his father’s partner and said he believed his father “had no choice” but to lock him away. He also reported that he had not showered since 2024.
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Investigation widens to family and community
The father has been placed in custody and handed preliminary charges including kidnapping. His partner, who denied knowing the boy was being held in the van, has also been charged – notably for failing to assist a minor in danger – and released under judicial supervision.
Two other children connected to the household – the boy’s 12-year-old sister and the 10-year-old daughter of his father’s partner – have been taken into the care of social services.
Prosecutors are now working to establish whether anyone else knew about the boy’s situation. Friends and relatives reportedly believed he had been admitted to a psychiatric institution, while his teachers had been told he had transferred to another school.
Authorities have not released the identities of those involved.
Residents of Hagenbach expressed shock at the revelations, saying they had no idea the child might be nearby in such circumstances. The prosecutor has declined to comment further as the investigation continues.
(With newswires)
