When he was discovered, he was naked, severely malnourished, and unable to walk after being forced to remain in a seated position for prolonged periods.
The French police have rescued a 9-year-old boy who had been locked inside his father’s utility van in the village of Hagenbach, Eastern France, since November 2024. According to a report by Metro, the child was found naked and severely malnourished, having lost the ability to walk due to the prolonged confinement. After forcing the van open, police found a “child lying in a fetal position, naked, covered by a blanket on top of a mound of trash and near excrement,” Prosecutor Nicolas Heitz said in a statement.
According to reports, the child had been confined inside the vehicle since November 2024. When he was discovered, he was naked, severely malnourished, and unable to walk after being forced to remain in a seated position for prolonged periods. Prosecutor Nicolas Heitz said the extent of confinement had caused the child to lose mobility.
Authorities were alerted by a neighbour who reported hearing the sounds of a child coming from the van. The vehicle was parked in Hagenbach, near the borders of Switzerland and Germany.
The Bizarre Case
During questioning, the boy’s father allegedly told investigators he had confined the child to “protect him” from his partner, who wanted to admit the boy, then seven years old, to a psychiatric facility. However, prosecutors said there is no medical evidence suggesting the child had any psychiatric condition. They added that he had previously performed well in school.
Investigators said the boy described having “major difficulties” with his father’s partner and appeared to justify his father’s actions, saying he “had no choice.” According to statements cited in French media, the father brought him food twice a day and left bottles of water inside the van.
To hide his absence, teachers were told he had transferred to a different school, and family members were led to believe he was in a psychiatric institution.
The child was reportedly forced to relieve himself in plastic bottles and trash bags and had not bathed since late 2024. CCTV footage showed the father visiting the van twice daily, appearing to throw items inside.
The father has been charged with abduction, unlawful confinement, and depriving a minor of care and food. He remains in custody. His partner has denied knowing the child was being held in the van but has been charged with failure to assist a minor in danger and released under judicial supervision.
Meanwhile, the boy’s 12-year-old sister and the partner’s 10-year-old daughter have been placed under social services care. Authorities are also investigating whether others may have been aware of the child’s prolonged confinement.
