Locked Away: French Police Rescue 9-Year-Old Held in Van Since 2024

By I.O Godoskie

French authorities have rescued a 9-year-old boy who had been confined inside his father’s utility van for nearly two years, in a disturbing case that has shocked the nation.

The child was discovered earlier this week in the village of Hagenbach, near France’s borders with Switzerland and Germany, after a neighbor reported hearing unusual sounds coming from a parked vehicle.

Police forced open the van on Monday and found the boy in deplorable conditions — lying naked in a fetal position, covered with a blanket, and surrounded by trash and human waste.

According to Prosecutor Nicolas Heitz, the boy was severely malnourished and unable to walk, having remained in a restricted position for a prolonged period.

The boy’s father told investigators he had kept the child in the van since November 2024, claiming it was to “protect” him from being placed in a psychiatric institution by his partner.

Authorities, however, said there is no evidence the boy had any prior psychiatric condition, noting he had been performing well in school before his disappearance.

The father has been taken into custody and faces kidnapping and child abuse charges. His partner, who denied knowledge of the situation, has been charged with failure to assist a minor in danger and released under judicial supervision.

Two other children connected to the household have since been placed in the care of social services.

Residents of Hagenbach expressed shock, saying they believed the child had simply transferred schools or was receiving care elsewhere.

Investigators are now working to determine whether anyone else may have been aware of the boy’s confinement.

The case has triggered wider concern over child welfare monitoring and community vigilance, as authorities continue their probe into how the abuse went unnoticed for so long.

The identities of those involved have not been released as investigations continue.