Ever since Émile, aged 2 and a half, disappeared in July 2023 in Haut-Vernet, in the south of France, investigators have been stepping up their inquiries to unravel this complex case. But just as some people were beginning to give up hope of one day discovering the truth, major new discoveries were made. On 13 March, following a letter received by the investigators, a team from the Marseille research section returned to the scene for an in-depth search not far from the Haut-Vernet chapel. During this operation, an imposing planter located near the hamlet's chapel was seized.
Discover our latest podcast
Little Emile may have been murdered
The use of a Bluestar, a product that reveals traces of blood, made it possible to detect suspicious residues on the flower box. Although the human origin of these traces has yet to be confirmed, this discovery has rekindled the interest of investigators in the site and strengthened the theory that humans were involved in Émile's disappearance.
As a result, four individuals close to the little boy were arrested on the morning of Tuesday 25 March.
Émile's grandparents questioned by investigators
As the public prosecutor in Aix-en-Provence has just announced in a press release, Émile's maternal grandparents and two of their adult children have been taken into custody. Marie Soleil's parents, who were arrested in La Bouilladisse, have been charged with ‘intentional homicide’ and ‘concealing a corpse’. As for the other two people, the public prosecutor explained that ‘these arrests are part of a phase of verifying and comparing the information gathered during the investigations carried out over the last few months’.
This is a major step forward in the investigation, and raises hopes of finally understanding what happened to little Émile on that tragic day in July 2023.
This article has been translated from Voici.
Read more:
Missing French toddler: Police are focusing their search on these 3 places in particular, here's why
Sources used:
The Guardian: Grandparents arrested for suspected murder of toddler in French Alps
The Sun: SHOCK ARREST Grandparents arrested on suspicion of MURDER over death of missing boy Émile Soleil, 2, who vanished from holiday home
