In July 2023, the disappearance of little Émile, aged just two, in the isolated hamlet of Haut-Vernet, shocked France. That day, Saturday 8 July, Émile was on holiday with his grandparents when he escaped the vigilance of adults. Despite an intense search involving hundreds of police officers, dog teams, helicopters and drones, no clues to his location were found in the days that followed. For weeks, the local community and law enforcement officers explored every corner of the mountainous region, hoping to find the boy, but without success. It was not until March 2024, almost nine months after his disappearance, that the investigation took a completely different turn. A hiker discovered the bones of little Emile, on a hiking trail, just two kilometres from their home. The search then intensified to determine the cause of his death and understand what had really happened that fateful day. The discovery of the bones raised new questions, including the possibility that the body had been moved after death, which would strengthen the criminal lead.
It must be said that there are some disturbing elements. The path was searched thoroughly by investigators, but little Emile’s laces were missing from his shoes, and the bones were particularly “clean” even though they had spent several weeks in the wilderness. After several (…)
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