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

[miss marble]

Found these two maps which hopefully give an idea of where Emile was last seen and then where remains were reportedly found on a path between the church and the chapel.

 

[Rikissa]

From the article above, some interesting new information about the last witness statement :-

On December 17, 2025, Le Parisien revisited the case of little Emile's death and the testimony of witness number 1. This man, in his sixties, appears to be the last known person to have seen little Emile in the minutes preceding his disappearance . According to statements he made to the gendarmes of the Marseille research section (Bouches-du-Rhône), he remembers watching the child walking downhill, taking a steep alley that passes in front of his home.

This witness also claims to have seen, within a very short period of a few minutes, Philippe Vedovini , the grandfather, Maximin, the uncle , and Marthe, the aunt of the boy, walking down the same street . Shortly afterwards, according to his account, he saw them turn back, going up the alley. These chronological details are invaluable to investigators. This testimony led them to re-interview Emile's family members.

There were two witnesses who said they had seen Émile the day he went missing, an older man, and a teenager. One of them said they had seen Émile go downwards, the other that he had gone upwards from his grandparents' house. The information about the two witnesses were published in a French newspaper on 10 July 2023.
I doubt that the interviews done with the witnesses have been published by the police, or if any of these police interviews are available to media. My guess is that what the journalists at Le Parisien has done is going through all the information there is in French papers, and whatever interviews and statements witness #1 have given. It's difficult to know when this witness made these statements, and claims, was it the same day Émile went missing, or some time after that. If it was done sometime after that day, was he certain that it had happened the day Émile went missing, or could it have been some earlier day? The family lived in the village during the summers, and I would guess that this was not the first time Émile was visiting his grandparents.

Is this saying the witness saw the Grandfather and Aunt go down the same alley as he had seen Emile a few minutes prior? Or does it mean they turned back and went home without him?

Saw Emile go that way, then the three relatives, then he saw them turn back, then go down the steep alley he'd seem Emile go down. At least that's how I read it.

JMO

Based on those new details, it appears that Emile went on a walkabout, three adults went in search of him.

And now he's dead.

Did someone administer "discipline" which resulted in death, intended or otherwise?

JMO

The details are not new, it was in the newspapers already the first day that Émile disappeared that he had left the grandparents' house (he was seen by two witnesses), and that the family had searched for him before they called the police.
Émile was seen by witnesses around 5:15 p.m., the adults search for him for about 45 minutes, before they called the police at 6:12 p.m. See: Death of Émile Soleil - Wikipedia

No word if the witness saw anyone return. I wonder if he could give LE any kind of a timeline, to determine whether the adults returned that way, how much time elapsed, etc.

From the article in MarieFrance, see the link in my post #234:
""This witness also claims to have seen, within a very short period of a few minutes, Philippe Vedovini , the grandfather, Maximin, the uncle , and Marthe, the aunt of the boy, walking down the same street . Shortly afterward, according to his account, he saw them turn back, going up the alley. These chronological details are invaluable to investigators. This testimony led them to re-interview Emile's family members.""

It says "shortly afterwards .... he saw them turn back, going up the alley". I would interpret "shortly afterwards" as at the most 10-15 minutes.

 

[miss marble]

I agree with some posters on the 'punishment ' theory, especially when we remember that one of the search party (the grandfather) was reportedly a strict disciplinarian.
Let's not forget the report about an investigation into his behaviour based on allegations by pupils of his boarding school when he was a teacher/supervisor :-

Emile's bones found 9 months after his disappearance, suspicions about his maternal grandfather - L'Unione Sarda English

Accident or murder? All leads are open, poisons and suspicions in the small village of 25 inhabitants

www.unionesarda.it

"Philippe V, 58 years old, was busy loading the fence posts into his car with which he was supposed to build a horse fence when the child, a few meters away from him, vanished into thin air .

Described as a very authoritarian man, he gave his ten children a rigorous and traditionalist education, including Latin masses and Gregorian chants. The children did not go to school, they studied at home. Philippe wanted to become a priest, but he met his future wife who changed his mind.

In the early 1990s he was supervisor of a boarding school for boys in the traditionalist community of Riaumont , in Northern France. Years later, between 2014 and 2017, several former students reported physical and sexual violence at the college . And Philippe, who had the task of enforcing discipline there, admitted in interrogations that he had sometimes punished the boys "too harshly" . "

 

[FromGermany1]

I just found the same article to bring over.

...seized a large planter...

My thoughts are the same as yours. Did they seize that large object and recently have seized another? Seems like it.

I remain so sad for Emile.

A little boy who wandered away should have been scooped up with joy, that he had been found safe.

JMO

Could little Emile have run away after "punishment", severely injured, but not bleeding (??) and not crying (???), and searched for his Mama for help, who had maybe used the same street driving away towards La Bouilladisse?

 

[FromGermany1]

I have found a reference to this, though I don’t think this is where I read about it originally

'Little Emile': Grandparents detained over 2023 disappearance of French toddler

The mysterious case of a missing toddler from a rural village in the French Alps in July 2023 riveted France’s attention on Emile Soleil – or Little Emile, as he came to be known. The case took a surprising…

www.france24.com

“The circle had begun to tighten around the hamlet earlier this month, with investigators seizing a large planter at the entrance to its chapel that was found to have traces of blood on it, according to a statement to AFP by a source close to the case”

however, I’m sure the item mentioned was seized at the time & tested, so it’s unlikely the same thing being referred to!

To which DNA did they compare, where did it stem from? I would like to know.

 

[Megnut]

Could little Emile have run away after "punishment", severely injured, but not bleeding (??) and not crying (???), and searched for his Mama for help, who had maybe used the same street driving away towards La Bouilladisse?

The witness(es) would have noted the child was in distress. But maybe the little boy looked very much like he knew where he was going which could explain why the witness(es) didn't overly react. Do we recall it was route familiar to the lad? The walk to church or perhaps following after his mommy.

JMO

 

[Megnut]

It's beginning to look like the child received the ultimate punishment for ultimately an adult's dereliction.

Same old story.

Endlessly tragic.

JMO

 

[JLZ]

It's beginning to look like the child received the ultimate punishment for ultimately an adult's dereliction.

Same old story.

Endlessly tragic.

JMO

On the other hand, is the witness reliable who said he saw Emile shortly followed by the grandfather and aunt? I imagine the witness has been investigated, but so has the family for that matter.

 

[Lonicera]

ENTRETIEN. Mort du petit Emile : "Il faut un regard neuf…" l’ex-procureur Jacques Dallest plaide pour transférer l’affaire au pôle Cold cases L’ex procureur général Jacques Dallest, créateur du pôle "cold-cases" de Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine), considère que l’affaire sur la mort du petit Emile devrait passer entre les mains de l’organisme, rendu célèbre pour avoir obtenu les aveux de Michel Fourniret sur le cas Estelle Mouzin.
La Dépêche du Midi: How does your experience of unsolved crimes influence your reading of the Émile case?

Jacques Dallest: For years, I have been insisting on the need for a genuine 'cold case' culture among judges and investigators. Most criminal cases, including domestic and home-based homicides, are resolved relatively quickly. But there is still a percentage of cases that resist. The Émile case is one of them. In these cases, it is necessary to adopt a panoramic view, to consider all the hypotheses, even those that seem a priori improbable.

So you think that the Émile file should be forwarded to this specialized pole?

All the criteria are met. The passage of time, the complexity of the case, its sensitivity, the absence of decisive scientific evidence... This is not to question the work of local investigators or magistrates. It is to allow a fresh, skeptical, methodical look with judges who only deal with this type of case.


Do you find that the survey suffers from an accumulation of hypotheses rather than concrete elements?

No track may be closed until it is materially impossible. In the Émile case, the intervention of a third party seems acquired, but a third party can be someone from outside, a neighbor, a person passing through, or a family member.
When there are many people in a house, imagining that a crime has been committed without anyone talking, without there being a crack, it’s difficult. This can help relativize this hypothesis, without definitively ruling it out. The danger is what we call cognitive bias: as soon as you discard a track too quickly, you stop working on it, and the error can become irreversible.

Grandparents today are conducting their own "counter-investigation". Is this something you have already observed in previous cases?

Relatives, sincerely foreign to the facts, want the truth to come out and bring clues to the investigators. But it can also be a defense strategy, as Jonathann Daval did, to clear his name. It is therefore necessary to analyze these approaches with caution, without automatically seeing in them a proof of innocence or guilt.

What do you think could unlock the investigation?

Material elements. A victim’s DNA found at a third party, on an object, would be extremely overwhelming. Conversely, finding the DNA of a loved one on an object belonging to them is not surprising. Spontaneous confessions are rare, especially if the author is alone and has not confided in anyone.

There is always hope, but one must also be clear-headed. Some cases are never solved. This does not mean that one must give up. As long as there are still hypotheses, seals, technical possibilities, we must continue. And that is precisely why I am advocating for a referral from the 'cold cases' group: so that, at least, everything has been done.

Full article posted - blurred the rest - mod

 

[bearbear]

Verifying Device

Verifying Device

EMILE RIDDLE

Fresh twist in Emile Soleil murder case as cops launch huge DNA test in village where toddler vanished to find killer​

EMILE MYSTERY

Five unanswered questions in Emile Soleil murder riddle from crucial 15 mins before vanishing to sudden mass DNA test​

 

[JLZ]

Verifying Device

Verifying Device

EMILE RIDDLE

Fresh twist in Emile Soleil murder case as cops launch huge DNA test in village where toddler vanished to find killer​

EMILE MYSTERY

Five unanswered questions in Emile Soleil murder riddle from crucial 15 mins before vanishing to sudden mass DNA test​

The fresh twist is that around 100 locals/villagers will have DNA samples taken; while the grandparents already had theirs taken at the start of the investigation. I suppose this means, that police have DNA evidence that needs matching, and it doesn't match to either grandparent.

 

[LadyL]

The fresh twist is that around 100 locals/villagers will have DNA samples taken; while the grandparents already had theirs taken at the start of the investigation. I suppose this means, that police have DNA evidence that needs matching, and it doesn't match to either grandparent.

so do they have to submit without a court order or subpoena or something?
this could be huge if the perp lives there

 

[Rikissa]

Article from 27 February 2026:

According to Radio France, the DNA sampling, involving around one hundred people, has already begun and will continue in the coming weeks. According to Le Parisien, all those whose DNA samples were taken were present on the day of the disappearance, with the exception of the victim's family. Indeed, Emile's grandparents' DNA had already been collected at the beginning of the investigation. In 2024, they were taken into custody for "involuntary manslaughter" and "concealing a body," as were Emile's uncle and aunt, before being released without charge. The grandparents, uncle, and aunt were questioned again in December, this time as civil parties in the case.

Translated from French into English with Google Translate:

Mort du Petit Emile : une campagne de prélèvements ADN en cours dans le village du Vernet, une centaine de personnes concernées

Les prélèvements ont débuté et vont se poursuivre dans les prochaines semaines dans le village du Vernet, où Emile Soleil a disparu en 2023 et où ses ossements ont été retrouvés en 2024. L'avocat de la grand-mère d'Emile...

france3--regions-franceinfo-fr.translate.goog

I guess that the British tabloids are using French media as their source for their articles.

 

[JLZ]

so do they have to submit without a court order or subpoena or something?
this could be huge if the perp lives there

Good question. Or are they all volunteers?

The article Rikissa linked above says that the samples will be compared to unknown DNA found on Emile's personal belongings. If so then a match would not necessarily be incriminating.

 

[Rikissa]

Good question. Or are they all volunteers?

The article Rikissa linked above says that the samples will be compared to unknown DNA found on Emile's personal belongings. If so then a match would not necessarily be incriminating.

I did a quick search for the rule of using DNA testing in criminal cases in France, and found this:

• Refusal: Refusing to submit to a DNA test when ordered by a judge is a criminal offense, which can result in fines or legal penalties.

 

[su5ie]

Anyone know if the preists dna was ever taken and therefore be included in the scope

Could he have blessed the child in last rites ? Without being involved in Emile's death . But committed suicide because he knew .?

The family are deeply religious would they feel getting Emiles body blessed be priority even if he died at the hands of a family member?

Verifying Device

 

[JLZ]

I did a quick search for the rule of using DNA testing in criminal cases in France, and found this:

Link on your refusal quote, please?

For comparison, in Australia, if investigators want people to submit to a DNA test, they apply to a judge for a warrant, and if there's a warrant the thing happens, by force if necessary. But the judge when deciding whether to give the warrant has to apply the rules in the legislation. I would be very surprised if (in Australia) a warrant was granted to take DNA from 100 people who can't all be suspects!--It's a fishing expedition, yes? to see what turns up. Interested to know how it works in France.

 

[su5ie]

Link on your refusal quote, please?

For comparison, in Australia, if investigators want people to submit to a DNA test, they apply to a judge for a warrant, and if there's a warrant the thing happens, by force if necessary. But the judge when deciding whether to give the warrant has to apply the rules in the legislation. I would be very surprised if (in Australia) a warrant was granted to take DNA from 100 people who can't all be suspects!--It's a fishing expedition, yes? to see what turns up. Interested to know how it works in France.

Isn't France a guilty until proven innocent country



So perhaps ordering the taking of over 100 blood samples , works by different rules too

 

[JLZ]

Anyone know if the preists dna was ever taken and therefore be included in the scope

Could he have blessed the child in last rites ? Without being involved in Emile's death . But committed suicide because he knew .?

The family are deeply religious would they feel getting Emiles body blessed be priority even if he died at the hands of a family member?

Verifying Device

It sounded like the journalist was speculating that the strange DNA may have been on one or both of Emile's bicycles--that were at the grandparents' home.

 

[Rikissa]

Link on your refusal quote, please?

For comparison, in Australia, if investigators want people to submit to a DNA test, they apply to a judge for a warrant, and if there's a warrant the thing happens, by force if necessary. But the judge when deciding whether to give the warrant has to apply the rules in the legislation. I would be very surprised if (in Australia) a warrant was granted to take DNA from 100 people who can't all be suspects!--It's a fishing expedition, yes? to see what turns up. Interested to know how it works in France.

Code de procédure pénale - Article 706-56:
Translated with Google Translate:

II.- Refusal to submit to the biological sampling provided for in the first paragraph of I is punishable by one year of imprisonment and a fine of 15,000 euros.

You find the entire text here, from a French gouvernmental site. Unfortunately there were some difficulties with getting Google Translate to translate the entire text from the website, so the link is in French:

https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000047053035#:~:text=II.,30%20000%20euros%20d%27amende.