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

[sundaaaay]

I don't know many kids that age so I find it hard to understand their capabilities. Would a two year old really be able run off like that without getting scared and bursting into tears after realising they're lost? Or maybe getting tired and sitting down to rest. Surely they cannot walk several Kilometres alone, especially uphill.

I find it hard to believe he managed to get very far from the house!

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

I don't know many kids that age so I find it hard to understand their capabilities. Would a two year old really be able run off like that without getting scared and bursting into tears after realising they're lost? Or maybe getting tired and sitting down to rest. Surely they cannot walk several Kilometres alone, especially uphill.

I find it hard to believe he managed to get very far from the house!

I had the same thoughts. There was a 3 year old boy who disappeared in NC a few years ago, Casey Hathaway, who was found 3 days later about 1/4 mile from where he was last seen. Some of you may remember his story as he claimed a bear hung out with him (link below). The temperatures where Emile is seem to be about 90 as a high and 60s as a low, so at least it's not freezing there, but 90 is very concerning as he could dehydrate quickly.

3-year-old who was missing for days says a bear watched over him in North Carolina woods

"God sent him a friend to keep him safe," Casey Hathaway's aunt wrote on Facebook. She says it's a "miracle" the boy is alive and well.

www.usatoday.com

 

[Lucy6226]

Hope he is found soon. Family must be distraught

 

[Fika]

I’m happy that there is thread for Emile.

I’m currently in France not too far away from the village he disappeared. I’m visiting friends in Nice and we stay at Montauroux which is about 3h away.

The terrain seems similar to here, I went out hiking yesterday and it was fairly difficult walk. It was warm (26c) paths are covered with stones small ones and big ones with dense forest around, tall grass which prevents seeing what you step on .
I hope he found some place to hide and is going to be found soon.

 

[shadwell]

Volunteer searchers stood down as of yesterday evening, the investigation now appears to be focusing on the possibility that Emile was hit by a car (or tractor) on the road below Haut Vernet - certainly more plausible than an opportunist kidnap IMO:

Disparition d'Émile, 2 ans : la piste de l'enfant percuté accidentellement par un véhicule envisagée, des auditions en cours

Les enquêteurs se penchent particulièrement sur l'hypothèse d'un accident avec un véhicule, voiture et même tracteur. Un périmètre de sécurité a été placé autour du village.

www.midilibre.fr

 

[Twittens]

I came on to see if there was a thread for this and glad to find there is. Thank you for starting it @shadwell.

I must say I find this situation very odd. According to the news reports, two witnesses saw him walking away from his grandparents' house and yet no one seems to have ... stopped him, returned him home, raised the alarm?

I would expect in any community, but especially in a close-knit one where his family was known, that even a passing stranger would intervene at the sight of a small child walking away unaccompanied - wouldn't they?

I'm hoping something's been lost in translation or in the journalism.

Huge search under way in France for missing two-year-old boy

 

[Penny68]

I too so wish the witnesses would have gone to the child, kept close by while phoning the police to say about the little one walking alone.

So pray he is found, safe, at the soonest.

 

[Fika]

I came on to see if there was a thread for this and glad to find there is. Thank you for starting it @shadwell.

I must say I find this situation very odd. According to the news reports, two witnesses saw him walking away from his grandparents' house and yet no one seems to have ... stopped him, returned him home, raised the alarm?

I would expect in any community, but especially in a close-knit one where his family was known, that even a passing stranger would intervene at the sight of a small child walking away unaccompanied - wouldn't they?

I'm hoping something's been lost in translation or in the journalism.

Huge search under way in France for missing two-year-old boy

I think it depends, they might have seen him for example walking around the house and lost sight of him around the corner of the house before he walked off.

From what I read on news reports it states that he was seen around the house of grandparents so I don’t think he was seen as literally walking off on his own into the forest. IMO

“ He was spotted by two people near his grandparents' house but they reportedly "lost sight" of the child.”

Police in France desperately searching for missing boy (2) | Her.ie

A major search is underway after a 2-year-old boy went missing from his grandparents' house in the south of France on Saturday.

www.her.ie

 

[sundaaaay]

Volunteer searchers stood down as of yesterday evening, the investigation now appears to be focusing on the possibility that Emile was hit by a car (or tractor) on the road below Haut Vernet - certainly more plausible than an opportunist kidnap IMO:

Disparition d'Émile, 2 ans : la piste de l'enfant percuté accidentellement par un véhicule envisagée, des auditions en cours

Les enquêteurs se penchent particulièrement sur l'hypothèse d'un accident avec un véhicule, voiture et même tracteur. Un périmètre de sécurité a été placé autour du village.

www.midilibre.fr

I suspect he just went on an adventure and succumbed to dehydration/exposure, but sadly I see something like this a possible scenario too.

He went missing at 5.15pm, and the valleys can get darker faster due to the shade cast by the mountains. He's tiny and likely oblivious to traffic.

He would likely not be able to navigate complex terrain, so could take the easiest route (the road)

But it doesn't explain why a body wasn't found by the side of the road unless the person moved it elsewhere. I wonder how many vehicles pass through this area.

 

[shadwell]

I suspect he just went on an adventure and succumbed to dehydration/exposure, but sadly I see something like this a possible scenario too.

He went missing at 5.15pm, and the valleys can get darker faster due to the shade cast by the mountains. He's tiny and likely oblivious to traffic.

He would likely not be able to navigate complex terrain, so could take the easiest route (the road)

But it doesn't explain why a body wasn't found by the side of the road unless the person moved it elsewhere. I wonder how many vehicles pass through this area.

Not many IMO - it’s pretty much a ‘road to nowhere’ with only a church and a few barns above Haut Vernet. It does connect to the main road eventually, but it looks to be a pretty circuitous route - any vehicles up there would most likely be local.

 

[dotr]

July 11 2023

https://www.itv.com/news/2023-07-11/massive-search-in-france-for-boy-two-missing-from-grandparents-home

''A voice-recording featuring the boy's mother has also been broadcast in the area.

But despite covering more than 1,000 acres, no trace of the boy has been found.

On Monday the mayor of the Vernet spoke of his "dismay" to French broadcasters after search crews were unable to find any information leading to his whereabouts.

François Balique said: "I am very disappointed, I don't understand why we haven't found little Émile.

"We don't understand what could have happened, the villagers are in dismay.Despite this, he said he was "convinced" the boy would be found.''

 

[Fika]

To add about weather conditions here, today is 32c in the area he disappeared and 33c where I am at. It’s so hot that taking 20 min walk to the store was tough.
If he didn’t find water somewhere I don’t think the outcome will be good. IMO
31c is 89f.

 

[shadwell]

To add about weather conditions here, today is 32c in the area he disappeared and 33c where I am at. It’s so hot that taking 20 min walk to the store was tough.
If he didn’t find water somewhere I don’t think the outcome will be good. IMO
31c is 89f.

Is it hay making season down there currently?

ETA - and is there much in the way of dew overnight?

 

[Fika]

Is it hay making season down there currently?

ETA - and is there much in the way of dew overnight?

Usually it’s around middle of August. I haven’t seen any hay making here yet.

 

[shadwell]

Usually it’s around middle of August. I haven’t seen any hay making here yet.

OK, thanks - I wondered if it would be earlier down there. If it’s anything like around our way once things get moving the tractors go like the clappers around the lanes to get it in, especially if there’s a threat of rain (not applicable in this case I think) or dew.

 

[Alyce]

French police have admitted they fear missing two-year-old Émile is dead and his body possibly removed after a road accident as sniffer dogs would have likely found a body by now.

The hamlet of Haut-Vernet in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence has now been barricaded after extensive searches

Now, after more than 48 hours of thorough searching - that has included helicopters, thermic camera drones, and sniffer dogs - police have now admitted that they need to consider other possibilities.

Police admit they fear missing Emile is dead

The hamlet of Haut-Vernet in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence has now been barricaded after extensive searches to find the boy who went missing on Saturday proved unsuccessful.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[sundaaaay]

Oklahoma 2-year-old found dead half a mile from home after crawling out of bed in middle of the night

Looking up similar cases to see how far a two year old can get. This poor boy was found 1/2 a mile away.

How far will your 2 year old walk?

Also some interesting comments from parents discussing how far their kids can walk. Seems to be quite varied!

 

[JurassicParker]

3-year-old found alive after missing for days in woods released from hospital Monday

We are still so thankful about this! Christopher Ramirez was found safe in what his mother called a miracle. Despite some scratches, his mom said he is healthy.

abc13.com

There have been some good outcomes. Let’s hope little Emile gets the ending that Christopher got.

 

[dotr]

Upthread is was reported that audio of Emile's mother was broadcast as they searched for him, but i think they should also try playing the soundtrack of his favorite cartoon or character.
Did he enter into a container of some kind that would make his scent less identifiable to the search dogs? imo.

 

[Allabouttrial]

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Mr Chappuis confirmed at the press conference that the search system would be adjusted for Tuesday to be ‘more targeted’.

Police had already expanded the 5km search area on Monday after finding no signs of the boy’s disappearance. A helicopter, drones with thermal cameras and sniffer dogs were all deployed to assist.

“We will remain on site,” Mr Chappuis said. ‘We deploy specialized resources in the search for traces and clues and respond to the needs of the judicial investigation.’

Mr Avon also confirmed that despite witnesses coming forward, no new element has so far been put forward that ‘probably explains the disappearance of little Émile’.

“These investigations will continue tomorrow (Tuesday) on a somewhat diversified course, particularly through the search for local clues,” he added.

---

Fears grow that missing Emile has been kidnapped

Fears are growing that two-year-old Émile could have been kidnapped after going missing three days ago while on holiday with his grandparents. was kidnapped.

nybreaking.com