A father in eastern France faces charges for allegedly keeping his nine-year-old son confined in a van for more than a year. The child was discovered by neighbors in Hagenbach, Alsace, alerted by sounds from the vehicle. Authorities found the boy naked, malnourished, and in a critical state, unable to walk after prolonged immobility.
The 43-year-old father claims he isolated the boy to shield him from his 37-year-old partner, who he stated intended to place the child in psychiatric care. The father is charged with "sequestration and arbitrary detention of a minor," along with deprivation of food and medical care, and has been remanded in custody. The partner faces charges of "non-assistance to a minor in danger" and "non-denunciation of mistreatment of a minor."
The three children, including the victim, his sister, and half-sister, are now in temporary care.