9-year-old found locked in utility van since 2024, malnourished and unable to walk

PARIS — A 9-year-old boy was discovered this week after being found locked in his father’s utility van in eastern France since 2024, as reported by the local prosecutor. The child has been admitted to the hospital, and his father has been taken into custody.

Authorities were alerted by a neighbor who heard “sounds of a child” coming from a van on Monday in the village of Hagenbach near the Swiss and German borders, according to a statement from Prosecutor Nicolas Heitz released on Saturday.

Upon opening the van, they discovered a child “lying in a fetal position, naked, covered with a blanket among trash and near excrement,” the statement described. The child was visibly undernourished and unable to walk due to prolonged periods of being seated.

The boy’s father claimed that he placed the child in the van in November 2024 “to protect him” because his partner wanted to send the boy to a psychiatric hospital, the prosecutor stated. At the time, the boy was 7 years old.

According to the prosecutor, there was no evidence in the medical records suggesting that the boy had any psychiatric issues prior to his disappearance, and he had been performing well academically.

The boy confided in investigators that he had “major difficulties” with his father’s partner and believed his father “had no other choice” but to confine him, the prosecutor disclosed. He also mentioned not having taken a shower since 2024.

The father faces preliminary charges of kidnapping and other offenses and remains in custody. His partner denied any knowledge of the child’s confinement in the van and has been charged with failure to assist a minor in danger, being released under judicial supervision.

The boy’s 12-year-old sister and his father’s partner’s 10-year-old daughter have been placed under the care of social services.

The prosecutor’s office is investigating whether others were aware of the boy’s confinement. Friends and family members believed he was in a psychiatric facility, while his teachers were informed that he had transferred to another school, the prosecutor’s office mentioned.

The identities of the victim and family members have not been disclosed by authorities.

Residents of the village, as contacted by The Associated Press, expressed shock at the incident and stated they were unaware of the boy’s situation but declined to provide further details.

The prosecutor has refrained from making further comments to the press pending ongoing investigations.