A man in eastern France now faces charges for allegedly holding his nine-year-old son confined within a van for more than twelve months. The discovery occurred on Monday in Hagenbach, Alsace, a town where residents reported hearing discernible child-like sounds emanating from the vehicle. This van had been regularly parked in a shared space adjacent to an apartment building.
When found, the child was reportedly lying uncovered beneath a blanket, situated amongst refuse and in proximity to human waste. He presented as malnourished and was unable to walk, a consequence of prolonged immobility. These details were shared by the state prosecutor’s office.
During initial questioning, the father, identified as 43 years of age, stated his rationale for keeping the child in the van since November 2024. He claimed this action was a protective measure against his 37-year-old partner, whom he alleged intended to place the child in psychiatric care. The father’s name has not been publicly disclosed.
The couple resided in the apartment building along with the boy’s siblings: an older sister, aged twelve, and a half-sister, aged ten.
According to reports from Le Parisien newspaper, the boy recounted to law enforcement that his father provided him with food on two occasions daily and supplied bottles of water. He indicated that his needs for urination were met using plastic bottles and for defecation within bin bags. His last documented shower, he stated, took place at the close of 2024.
Neighbors informed the police that the boy seemed to have vanished rather abruptly around the end of 2024. At the time, they had been led to believe by the couple that the child had been placed into care. Some residents recalled hearing noises from the van intermittently over time, but they were reportedly informed these were caused by a cat.
The father’s account suggests his partner was unaware of the boy’s continued presence within the van.
The man has been formally charged with offenses including “sequestration and arbitrary detention of a minor,” alongside charges related to the deprivation of adequate food and medical attention. He has been placed in custody pending further proceedings.
His partner is facing charges of “non-assistance to a minor in danger” and “non-denunciation of mistreatment of a minor.” She has been released on conditional bail.
All three children have been placed under temporary care arrangements pending a judicial decision from a children’s court judge.