French police have arrested a 43-year-old man accused of confining his nine-year-old son inside a delivery van for more than a year, in a disturbing case that has shocked the public. According to prosecutors on Friday, the incident came to light following a tip-off from concerned neighbours.
Authorities were alerted after residents reported suspicious noises, prompting police to investigate. The child was later discovered naked and severely malnourished inside the van, which was parked within the compound of an apartment block in Hagenbach, a small village in the Alsace region near the borders of Germany and Switzerland.
Investigations revealed that the father was living in the apartment while his son was allegedly kept in the vehicle. The boy told authorities he had been locked inside the van between September and December 2024, adding that his last bath was at the end of that year.
When found, the child was lying in a foetal position under a blanket, surrounded by faeces. Prosecutor Nicolas Heitz said the prolonged confinement had left the boy unable to walk. He was immediately taken to a clinic in the eastern city of Mulhouse for treatment.
The man’s girlfriend was also detained, although she denied any involvement. She claimed she believed the child had been placed in a psychiatric facility, as she had previously insisted he should not remain in the apartment. However, investigators are continuing to examine whether others in the household were aware of the situation.
The father reportedly lived in the apartment with his girlfriend and two daughters, aged 10 and 12, during the time the boy was allegedly confined. The family had moved to Hagenbach in early 2024, where they led what appeared to be a normal life on the surface.
During questioning, the father claimed he had confined his son in the van from November 2024 in an attempt to prevent him from being sent to a psychiatric institution. He also alleged that the child was occasionally allowed back into the apartment during a family holiday in the summer of 2025.
However, authorities found no medical evidence to support claims that the boy had any psychiatric condition. Records showed he had performed well academically during the 2023–2024 school year in Mulhouse, raising further concerns about the father’s justification.
Further testimonies from family members painted a troubling picture. The boy’s 12-year-old sister said she had not seen him since the start of the 2024 school term, although she noticed their father frequently leaving the apartment to visit the van. Another daughter told investigators that their father used the vehicle daily for commuting.
Police also revealed that the van had been fitted with a video monitoring system, allowing the father to keep watch over his son. He reportedly visited the vehicle twice a day to provide food and water, while the boy was forced to urinate in plastic bottles and use garbage bags for sanitation.
Authorities are now probing whether any individuals were aware of the child’s confinement but failed to report it, as the case continues to unfold.
