Harrowing new details have surfaced regarding the disappearance of little Emile, a toddler who was found dead in July 2023.
Detectives who are in charge of investigating the case of the French child shared how they believe the young victim lost his life. In a statement, prosecutor Jean-Luc Bachon said that his team was still looking into the possibility that Emile was attacked by a "third party."
Little Emile's Disappearance
The prosecutor said that the scars they found on the boy's skull, which was recovered in March last year, were "suggestive of violent facial trauma." investigators now believe that the boy's bones would have been moved shortly before they were discovered near a river in the Alpine hamlet of Haut-Vernet last year.
Experts also believe that the victim's remains could have been placed the way they were found in a sort of gruesome staging. Bachon talked to Emile's grandparents, who were the ones looking after the boy shortly before he disappeared, according to the Daily Mail.
The elderly couple was released from custody this week, which was done due to suspicion of voluntary homicide and concealing a corpse. Now, prosecutors clarified that the line of inquiry that involved the family was just "one among others."
Bachon said that the investigation into the tragic case has already reached a stage where it requires them to confront and enlighten the people who were most affected by Emile's death. He added that the family members were arrested in light of the results of the expert reports.
The grandparents of Emile were identified as Philippe and Anne Vedovini, who were taken into custody along with two of their adult children, who were the victim's uncles or aunts. The latter has not been named or identified, France24 reported.
The Arrest of the Grandparents
Isabelle Colombani, the lawyer for the grandparents, confirmed that the couple was placed in police custody but did not provide further details about the matter. A press release suggested that the arrests were made to allow investigators to verify, analyze, and cross-examine evidence that been had gathered over the last few months.
Emile's disappearance sparked media attention in 2023, particularly surrounding his grandfather, who was questioned by police in the 1990s. During that time, he was asked about alleged violence and sexual assault at a private school.
When investigators returned to Le Vernet this week, they were joined by forensic teams who combed through "several spots in the area." It was confirmed that the forensic operations were still ongoing in other locations as well, as per CNN.
