Found Deceased France - Émile S., 2, outside grandparent’s house, Le Vernet, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, 8 July 2023

[FromGermany1]

he's only 2!
how does someone 'bicker' with a 2 year-old?! (not directed at you just a general comment)

A local told French newspaper Le Figaro there was "some bickering between the children" a few days before Emile's disappearance.

So the bickering was between other children, who are older, afaik. I think, the teenager relatives were meant, which makes sense. Little Emile wasn't there yet.

 

[kittythehare]

Gosh, they have extended the lockdown until the end of July, to protect from malicious tourism.

From a source close to the investigation, several "removal of doubts" were made this weekend, such as this suspicious smell detected near the hamlet, or this fire reported at altitude near a mountain hut.

Disparition d'Émile: l'interdiction d'accéder au Haut-Vernet reconduite pour une quinzaine de jours

Selon le maire de la commune du Vernet, l'objectif est de protéger les habitants, ainsi que la famille de l'enfant, d'un "tourisme malveillant."

www.bfmtv.com

 

[kittythehare]

As the investigation continues over a longer period of time, in particular with the analysis of telephone data and new planned interviews, Haut-Vernet could gradually leave the spotlight. Until the next twist in the investigation. And maybe finally the resolution of the mystery.

Disparition d’Émile : pourquoi l'accès au Haut-Vernet reste interdit aux non-résidents pour 15 jours supplémentaires

Ce mardi 17 juillet, et alors que le petit Émile, 2 ans, reste introuvable depuis une dizaine de jours désormais, l'interdiction d'accès au hameau du Haut-Vernet a été prolongée par le maire de la commune François...

www.midilibre.fr

 

[Alyce]

he's only 2!
how does someone 'bicker' with a 2 year-old?! (not directed at you just a general comment)

Emile arrived in the village on the Friday, only one day before he disappeared. So unless something has got lost in the translation, he cannot have been there when the alleged bickering took place, several days earlier.

 

[Alyce]

If the last sighting by someone other than family was Saturday morning, many hours before Emile was noted missing, there is potentially time for an accident and cover-up. It's possible Emile did not take a nap.

The last sighting - allegedly - was Saturday afternoon


The boy, named only as Emile, was last seen walking down the street near his grandparents' house by two witnesses on Saturday afternoon, according to authorities.

'Final sweep' search for missing two-year-old Emile in the French Alps

French investigators think it is very unlikely the two-year-old went missing on his own, but concede they have made very little progress during their ground search.

news.sky.com

 

[shadwell]

French police fear missing Emile may have been hit by a combine harvester while walking through long grass as hunt for two-year-old continues​

View attachment 435423

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...-long-grass-hunt- two-year-old-continues.html

Just to note again that haymaking does not involve combine harvesters and that anyone who has read the full headline of the 'California mom run over by mower' story upthread will realize that a similar event in this case would be extremely unlikely to go unnoticed and nigh it is impossible to conceal.

Likewise, if the boy somehow managed to conceal himself in a raked row, the baler pickup would be too narrow for him to enter the machine. IMO tales of deer being found in bales are either locals pulling journos' legs or would otherwise require a high degree of negligence on the part of the baler operator (ie s/he would have to manually open up the pickup aperture without checking the nature of the blockage). Even then, it is unlikely that something the size of the toddler would make it past the pickup and into a bale.

Example manufacturer’s demonstration video of the type of baler used on the farm opposite Haut Vernet here:

Geoportail image of haymaking in progress opposite le Haut Vernet in July 2021. Rake working in the field on the right lining up rows ready for the baler, which is parked up by the house on the left.

 

[SouthAussie]

Just to note again that haymaking does not involve combine harvesters and that anyone who has read the full headline of the 'California mom run over by mower' story upthread will realize that a similar event in this case would be extremely unlikely to go unnoticed and nigh it is impossible to conceal.

Likewise, if the boy somehow managed to conceal himself in a raked row, the baler pickup would be too narrow for him to enter the machine. IMO tales of deer being found in bales are either locals pulling journos' legs or would otherwise require a high degree of negligence on the part of the baler operator (ie s/he would have to manually open up the pickup aperture without checking the nature of the blockage). Even then, it is unlikely that something the size of the toddler would make it past the pickup and into a bale.

Example manufacturer’s demonstration video of the type of baler used on the farm opposite Haut Vernet here:

Geoportail image of haymaking in progress opposite le Haut Vernet in July 2021. Rake working in the field on the right lining up rows ready for the baler, which is parked up by the house on the left.

View attachment 435497

While it is unlikely to have happened, I think that the police had to check all of those hay bales with their specialist equipment. Just in case.

The DM tend to sensationalise.

imo

 

[shadwell]

While it is unlikely to have happened, I think that the police had to check all of those hay bales with their specialist equipment. Just in case.

The DM tend to sensationalise.

imo

Fair point - I can only hope that any septic tanks (or farm slurry pits) up there are receiving the same amount of attention.

 

[sundaaaay]

Just to note again that haymaking does not involve combine harvesters and that anyone who has read the full headline of the 'California mom run over by mower' story upthread will realize that a similar event in this case would be extremely unlikely to go unnoticed and nigh it is impossible to conceal.

Thanks for the information! I still think this theory warrants some more investigation though. I am aware some farmers do baling well into the evenings when the weather is good and he did go missing during dry weather close to agricultural land. I wonder if its possible the machinery used in this location is more dated than what you have suggested. Different regions also make different sort of bales, but these do seem like the typical large cylindrical ones.

How can it be explained that foxes etc. can be caught in bales sometimes despite being very fast, unless these animals had died beforehand. Emile is physically small and he was wearing a yellow top, white shorts with a green pattern so wouldn't stand out against dry grass.

 

[Megsc]

All of this story is kinda weird to me. As a french person I haven't seen the parents express themselves during an interview on TV or anything. Isn't it one of the first thing to happen when a kid goes missing ? Parents usually go on national TV to ask for tips but I haven't heard about it since the beginning.
And 3 days ago this article was realeased, which the title translates like "Was litle Emile taken by a bird?" Are you kidding me ??? A BIRD ?
Then in the article they say it must also be a wild animal such as a a wolf or something. But it seems kind of farfetch to me since it's something that almost never happens in here. And I gotta say there are not so many wolves in France (they kill em lol).
And wouldnt we have found some stuffs since ? Like pieces of clothes, or a shoe or anything ?

mariefrance.fr/actualite/peti…

 

[TootsieFootsie]

And 3 days ago this article was realeased, which the title translates like "Was litle Emile taken by a bird?" Are you kidding me ??? A BIRD ?

Yes, one of the theories I read was that he may have been taken by an eagle.

A bit hard to believe IMO

 

[shadwell]

Thanks for the information! I still think this theory warrants some more investigation though. I am aware some farmers do baling well into the evenings when the weather is good and he did go missing during dry weather close to agricultural land. I wonder if its possible the machinery used in this location is more dated than what you have suggested. Different regions also make different sort of bales, but these do seem like the typical large cylindrical ones.

How can it be explained that foxes etc. can be caught in bales sometimes despite being very fast, unless these animals had died beforehand. Emile is physically small and he was wearing a yellow top, white shorts with a green pattern so wouldn't stand out against dry grass.

Best guess re the fox would be that it jumped in over the top of the pickup in a panic, thinking it was cover (see still from video below) - but I take your point and on that basis I can see that a small deer might potentially do the same. Looking at the size of the bales in the Geoportail image I would say they are (or were in 2021) definitely using a round ‘Swiss Roll’ baler though again, as you point out, it may be an older model lacking the safety features seen in the video.

 

[SouthAussie]

Fair point - I can only hope that any septic tanks (or farm slurry pits) up there are receiving the same amount of attention.

I saw a photo of an old well in the village today, in an article I was reading, and it also made me wonder if there are unused, now-hidden dangers that may be lurking around an old village.

There are so many places a small child can fall into.

 

[SouthAussie]

Just want to point out, in the video in this link there is some pretty good footage of the actual village and its surrounds. The broadcast is all in French, but the video is good to gain a sense of the environment.
(I just fast forward through the bits I don't want to watch.)

Disparition d'Émile: plusieurs levées de doute réalisées au cours du week-end

Les gendarmes ont réalisé plusieurs opérations de levées de doute au cours du week-end dans le secteur du Vernet où est porté disparu Émile.

www.bfmtv.com

 

[shadwell]

Article from Le Nouveau Detective magazine with a few additional details:

** NB: Listen carefully - you can read this only once (if you reload/revisit the page it will be paywalled):

Disparition d’Emile : les 5 pistes privilégiées par les enquêteurs

Samedi 8 juillet 2023, dans la commune du Vernet, dans les Alpes de Hautes Provence, l’enfant âgé de 2 ans a disparu alors qu’il était chez ses grands-parents en vacances. Détective revient sur l’enquête et les hypothèses étudiées par les enquêteurs…

www.lenouveaudetective.com

 

[LemonMint]

Article from Le Nouveau Detective magazine with a few additional details:

** NB: Listen carefully - you can read this only once (if you reload/revisit the page it will be paywalled):

Disparition d’Emile : les 5 pistes privilégiées par les enquêteurs

Samedi 8 juillet 2023, dans la commune du Vernet, dans les Alpes de Hautes Provence, l’enfant âgé de 2 ans a disparu alors qu’il était chez ses grands-parents en vacances. Détective revient sur l’enquête et les hypothèses étudiées par les enquêteurs…

www.lenouveaudetective.com

Google Translate seems to have a-3800 -character limit. Would it be possible to get the new details translated, please…?

 

[starlightstarbright]

I agree with the unlikelihood of a hay making accident. We have fields we cut for hay and it’s a lengthy process over several days. You have to cut it and leave to dry, then a day or few days later you flip it around onto the other side to dry some more, then a day or more after that you rake it into lines so ready for baling and then you bale it. And the piles are only about 12 inches tall, maybe even less as the weather has been so hot that lots of hay being cut shorter this year, so less volume on any field after cutting. Obviously no combine harvesters involved.

I truly cannot imagine a scenario when in all those days of turning the hay over and raking through it, especially in the midst of a ‘lockdown’ and heightened awareness of searching for Emile that a body could be missed. You’d have to try pretty hard to be negligent enough to miss a child in that situation. I mean I can see a child being hit by a tractor while mowing, yes. But it wouldn’t be an easy thing to miss unless there was an intentional effort to cover up the accident. MOO but I don’t see any evidence of that at this stage and I would assume LE explored that option early on (hence talk of road traffic accident and checking that car for blood).

 

[Lusitana]

Gosh, they have extended the lockdown until the end of July, to protect from malicious tourism.

From a source close to the investigation, several "removal of doubts" were made this weekend, such as this suspicious smell detected near the hamlet, or this fire reported at altitude near a mountain hut.

Disparition d'Émile: l'interdiction d'accéder au Haut-Vernet reconduite pour une quinzaine de jours

Selon le maire de la commune du Vernet, l'objectif est de protéger les habitants, ainsi que la famille de l'enfant, d'un "tourisme malveillant."

www.bfmtv.com

Is this normal? To lockdown the town? This doesn't really sound like they're worried about who comes in but more so about who goes out and possibly doesn't come back, if you know what I mean.

 

[kittythehare]

Is this normal? To lockdown the town? This doesn't really sound like they're worried about who comes in but more so about who goes out and possibly doesn't come back, if you know what I mean.

They are tight lipped for sure.
No leaks at all.

 

[SouthAussie]

Is this normal? To lockdown the town? This doesn't really sound like they're worried about who comes in but more so about who goes out and possibly doesn't come back, if you know what I mean.

I have the impression that the locals are allowed to leave and return. They just want to keep the reporters and the looky-loos out.
I have been looking for the article where the mayor explained this ... not able to find it at the moment.

I wouldn't be surprised if the police were taking this opportunity to quietly forensically test whatever they want to test.

imo