A 9-Year-Old Boy Rescued After Being Kept Locked in a Van for Nearly Two Years A 9-year-old boy was rescued this week after spending nearly two years locked inside his father’s utility van in eastern France, according to local authorities. The child, who was found in a severe state of malnutrition and physical distress, was hospitalized following his discovery. His father, a 43-year-old man, was detained by police after the incident, while his partner, 37, faced charges related to failing to assist a minor in danger. The boy’s 12-year-old sister and the 10-year-old daughter of his father’s partner were placed under the care of social services. The boy was discovered on Monday in the village of Hagenbach, near the borders of Switzerland and Germany, after a neighbor reported hearing “sounds of a child” coming from a van. Police forced the van open and found the child “lying in a fetal position, naked, covered by a blanket on top of a mound of trash and near excrement,” according to a statement from Prosecutor Nicolas Heitz. The child had been in this condition for nearly two years, having been locked inside the van since November 2024. He was described as malnourished and unable to walk due to prolonged sitting. The father told investigators he had locked the child in the van to “protect him” after his partner, who was the boy’s stepmother, expressed intentions to send the child to a psychiatric hospital. The prosecutor clarified that there was no medical evidence indicating the boy had any psychiatric issues prior to his disappearance. The child had been performing well in school, with good grades, and had no prior history of behavioral problems.#father #hagenbach #partner #boy #prosecutor_nicolas_heitz
9-Year-Old Boy Rescued After Being Locked in Van for Two Years in France A 9-year-old boy was discovered locked inside his father’s utility van in eastern France after nearly two years of captivity, according to local authorities. The child, who had been malnourished and unable to walk, was found in a deteriorating condition on April 11, 2026, following a tip from a neighbor. The incident has sparked widespread shock and raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the boy’s prolonged isolation. The local prosecutor, Nicolas Heitz, confirmed that police were alerted to the situation after hearing “sounds of a child” emanating from the van in the village of Hagenbach, near the borders of Switzerland and Germany. When officers forced open the vehicle, they found the boy “lying in a fetal position, naked, covered by a blanket on top of a mound of trash and near excrement,” Heitz stated. The child’s physical state, including severe malnutrition and immobility due to prolonged sitting, prompted immediate medical intervention. The boy’s father, who was detained by authorities, reportedly locked the child in the van in November 2024 to shield him from his partner, who allegedly wanted to send the then-7-year-old to a psychiatric hospital. However, the prosecutor emphasized there was no prior medical evidence of the boy’s mental health issues, noting he had previously performed well in school. The father claimed the child had “big difficulties” with his partner and believed his father had “no choice” but to confine him. The boy reportedly stated he hadn’t showered since 2024, highlighting the extreme neglect he endured. The father faces preliminary charges of kidnapping and other offenses, while his partner, who denied knowledge of the boy’s whereabouts, was charged with failing to assist a minor in danger.#father #hagenbach #boy #nicolas_heitz #partner
