The case of Émile Soleil, a two-year-old boy who disappeared from his grandparents’ garden in Le Haut-Vernet, a hamlet in the French Alps, in July 2023, has taken a significant turn.
Nearly two years after his disappearance, French prosecutors have arrested his grandparents and two of their adult children on suspicion of voluntary homicide and concealing a corpse.
The Disappearance and Search in the French Alps
Émile was reported missing from his grandparents’ residence in Le Haut-Vernet, a remote mountain village with only about two dozen inhabitants. He was last seen by neighbors walking alone down the street near the house.
Despite extensive search operations involving French police and approximately 500 volunteers, no trace of the toddler was found at the time. His parents were not present on the day he vanished.
Discovery of Remains and Ongoing Investigations
Nine months later, in March 2024, a hiker discovered Émile’s partial remains, including his skull and teeth 1.7 kilometers (1.1 miles) from the village.
