French Man Charged with Locking Son in Van for Over a Year

A 43-year-old man in eastern France has been charged with the sequestration and arbitrary detention of a minor, alongside depriving him of proper food and medical care, after his nine-year-old son was found locked in a van for over a year.

Discovery and Condition

The boy was discovered on Monday in Hagenbach, Alsace, after neighbours reported hearing sounds from a van parked in a communal area. Authorities found the child naked, lying under a blanket amidst rubbish and human excrement. He was severely malnourished and unable to walk, a direct consequence of prolonged confinement.

Father's Defence and Further Charges

Under questioning, the father claimed he had kept the boy in the van since November 2024 to protect him from his 37-year-old partner, who he alleged wanted to place the child in psychiatric care. The boy’s mother has also been charged with non-assistance to a minor in danger and non-denunciation of mistreatment, and has been granted conditional bail. The three children, including the boy’s 12-year-old sister and 10-year-old half-sister, have been placed in temporary care.