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

[Megnut]

Quote from post above by @Rikissa

"They seized 'a large object' today."

What exactly does it mean?

I edited my post. Large object implies heavy...

I still think it's possible it was relatively affixed. And rather than striking him with an object, he could have been struck against it.

Poor little boy.

JMO

 

[Dotta]

DBM

 

[Serononin]

I edited my post. Large object implies heavy...

I still think it's possible it was relatively affixed. And rather than striking him with an object, he could have been struck against it.

Poor little boy.

JMO

The word used in the article was 'volumineux' ('bulky'), which is a particularly interesting way of putting it IMO, and would definitely seem to imply that it wasn't an easy thing to move

 

[JLZ]

The word used in the article was 'volumineux' ('bulky'), which is a particularly interesting way of putting it IMO, and would definitely seem to imply that it wasn't an easy thing to move

Perhaps the storage place.

 

[Rikissa]

Does anyone have a map of the village that shows this area and alley?

There are many photos of the village, and if I remember correctly, maps also in the beginning of the first thread in this case:

S

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

Jul 10, 2023

Witness appeal launched yesterday by the Gendarmerie Nationale regarding the disappearance of Emile S (aged two and a half years) from the village of le Vernet (04140) in Alpes Haute Provence on the afternoon of Saturday July 8th 2023. The boy was last seen by witnesses walking close to his grandparents’ house on Haut Vernet (a cul-de-sac south of le Vernet) at approximately 5.15pm.

Emile is described as having brown eyes, blond hair and is approximately 90cm tall. At the time of disappearance he was wearing a yellow top, white shorts (with a green motif) and walking shoes...

• shadwell
• Replies: 1,005
• Forum: Located Persons Discussion

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His surname, Soleil, means sun in French.

 

[Megnut]

Perhaps the storage place.

That's an interesting thought. How about an airtight sarcophagus? A vault of some sort.

JMO

 

[ReadySet]

What I first thought of was a refrigerator or freezer. IDK

 

[su5ie]

Perhaps the storage place.

I was thinking the freezer

 

[Ssschu]

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.

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?

 

[Megnut]

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

 

[Megnut]

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

 

[su5ie]

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

If his cheek bone was smashed it certainly would imply he was hit with something in the face which would insinuate a punishment imo

 

[Megnut]

If his cheek bone was smashed it certainly would imply he was hit with something in the face which would insinuate a punishment imo

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.

 

[FromGermany1]

Does anyone have a map of the village that shows this area and alley?

Is this the way/street, little Emile (and three family members) took, which ended at the fountain and/or old washhouse? I remember vague ......

 

[Bethan]

That's an interesting thought. How about an airtight sarcophagus? A vault of some sort.

JMO

I have a vague memory from early on in this case, that a container like a ‘planter’ was searched, following a tip???

Does anyone else remember this being mentioned??

 

[Dotta]

I have a vague memory from early on in this case, that a container like a ‘planter’ was searched, following a tip???

Does anyone else remember this being mentioned??

There was no DNA of the boy there.
If IRC

 

[ChatteringBirds]

@Bethan Yes, I remember something along those lines.

 

[Bethan]

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!

 

[Megnut]

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!

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

 

[Dotta]

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!

Yep.
The planter was tested and NO blood/DNA of the boy was there.
It was reported.