Malnourished 9-year-old boy found locked in van in France; father charged
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A malnourished 9-year-old boy was found lying in a fetal position in his father’s minibus in eastern France this week after allegedly locking himself in the vehicle two years ago.
The boy, who could not walk after sitting for so long, was discovered Monday after a neighbor heard “children’s voices” coming from the van, local prosecutor Nicolas Heitz said Saturday.
Police officers in the village of Hagenbach, near the border of Switzerland and Germany, found the boy “in a fetal position, naked, covered with a blanket, on a pile of garbage and near feces” after forcing open the van, Heitz said.
The boy told authorities he had not showered since 2024.
A WISCONSIN COUPLE allegedly starved their six children for years, forcing them to eat mold, bugs and dog food
A 9-year-old boy, who had been living locked in his father’s commercial minibus since 2024 in Hagenbach, France, was rescued on April 11, 2026. (AP Photo)
The child’s father was charged with kidnapping. She claimed to police that she locked her son in the van in November 2024 to “protect” him from his partner, who wanted to send him to a psychiatric hospital, according to the prosecutor.
However, the prosecutor said that there was no medical record that the child had a psychiatric problem and that the child received good grades at school.
When the boy went missing, his teachers were told he had transferred to another school.
The man’s partner, who denied knowing the child was locked in the van, was also charged with charges including failing to assist a child in distress.
A MICHIGAN WOMAN WAS ARRESTED ALLEGEDLY TO DYING OF STARVING, and was locked in the basement for allegedly torturing her disabled sister-in-law.
The boy’s family and friends told police they believed the boy was in a psychiatric hospital.
A car drives past a road sign at the entrance to Hagenbach, France, where a 9-year-old boy, who had been living locked in his father’s commercial van since 2024, was rescued on April 11, 2026. (AP)
The boy’s 12-year-old sister and the man’s partner’s 10-year-old daughter are under the care of social services.
The child was taken to hospital.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION
A 9-year-old boy, who had been living locked in his father’s commercial minibus since 2024 in Hagenbach, France, was rescued on April 11, 2026. (AP)
He told authorities that his father felt he had no choice but to lock himself in the van and that his father was having “major difficulties” with his partner.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
