9-Year-Old Boy Rescued After Being Locked in Van by Father for Over a Year

A 9-year-old boy was rescued from a utility van in the village of Hagenbach, eastern France, after being kept locked inside by his father since 2024.

The rescue occurred after a neighbor alerted police to sounds of a child coming from the vehicle on Monday, April 7, 2026. The village of Hagenbach is located near the borders of Germany and Switzerland.

Upon forcing the van open, officers discovered the child lying in a fetal position, naked, covered by a blanket on top of a mound of trash and near excrement, according to a statement from prosecutor Nicolas Heitz.

The boy was found to be malnourished and unable to walk, a condition attributed to having remained in a seated position for an extended period of time. He has since been hospitalized.

Details of the Captivity

The boy’s father, aged 43, told investigators that he placed the child in the truck in November 2024. At the time, the boy was 7 years old.

The father claimed he did this to protect him because his partner, aged 37, wanted to send the child to a psychiatric hospital.

Prosecutor Heitz stated that there were no medical records indicating the boy had any psychiatric problems before his disappearance, noting further that the boy had maintained good grades in school.

The child provided investigators with details regarding his living conditions inside the van, stating that he had not showered since 2024. He reported that his father brought him food twice a day and provided water.

Due to the confinement, the boy told police he had to urinate in plastic bottles and defecate in bin bags.

The boy also described having big difficulties with his father’s partner and expressed a belief that his father had no choice but to lock him up.

Legal Proceedings

The father has been detained and handed preliminary charges, including kidnapping.

The father’s partner denied knowing that the boy was being kept in the van. She has been handed preliminary charges, including the failure to help a minor in danger, and was released under judicial supervision.