Trending Now - 9-year-old Boy Rescued From Van After Year of Isolation

WHO:

ABC News - The boy's father claimed he locked the child in the van "to protect him" from his partner who wanted to send him to a psychiatric hospital.

Fox News - The boy’s father has been charged with kidnapping and other charges.

AP News - Prosecutor Nicolas Heitz provided a statement regarding the case on Saturday, April 11th, 2026.

AP News - A 9-year-old boy was rescued from his father's utility van.

AP News - The boy's father has been detained and is facing preliminary kidnapping charges.

AP News - The boy's father’s partner has been handed preliminary charges for failure to help a minor in danger.

AP News - The boy has a 12-year-old sister and a 10-year-old half-sister who were placed in the care of social services.

WHAT:

CBS News World - The boy was found malnourished, unable to walk, and had not showered since 2024.

CNN - The boy was discovered "lying in a fetal position, naked, covered by a blanket on top of a mound of trash and near excrement."

AP News - The boy was found "lying in a fetal position, naked, covered by a blanket on top of a mound of trash and near excrement," according to Prosecutor Heitz.

AP News - The boy's father claimed he locked the child in the van "to protect him" from his partner who wanted to send him to a psychiatric hospital.

AP News - The boy has been hospitalized following his rescue.

AP News - The boy's father claimed he locked the child in the van "to protect him" from being sent to a psychiatric hospital by his partner.

AP News - The boy told investigators he had "big difficulties" with his father’s partner and thought his father "had no choice" but to lock him up.

CBS News World - The boy was found malnourished and unable to walk after being locked in the van for a year and a half.

AP News - The boy was discovered lying in a fetal position, naked, covered by a blanket, on a mound of trash and near excrement.

AP News - The boy had not showered since 2024 and was clearly malnourished.

WHERE:

AP News - The incident occurred in Hagenbach, a village in eastern France, near the borders of Switzerland and Germany.

WHEN:

AP News - The boy was rescued on April 11th, 2026.

AP News - Police were alerted on Monday, April 6th, 2026, and the boy was rescued on April 11th, 2026.

AP News - The boy was locked in the van since November 2024.

AP News - Police were alerted on Monday, April 6th, 2026.

WHY:

AP News - The prosecutor stated there was no medical record indicating the boy had any psychiatric problems before he disappeared, and he had received good grades in school.

AP News - The prosecutor stated there was no medical record indicating the boy had any psychiatric problems before he disappeared.

AP News - The prosecutor stated there was no medical record indicating the boy had any psychiatric problems before he disappeared, and he had received good grades in school.

AP News - The boy's father claimed he locked the child in the van "to protect him" from being sent to a psychiatric hospital by his partner.

HOW:

AP News - Friends and family believed the boy was in a psychiatric institution, and his teachers were informed he had transferred to a different school.

AP News - Friends and family of the boy believed he was in a psychiatric institution, and his teachers were informed he had transferred to a different school.

AP News - Police were alerted by a neighbor who heard "sounds of a child" coming from the van.

AP News - Authorities forced the van open to rescue the boy.

(UPDATED April 12, 2026 07:17 UTC)

A boy was rescued on Saturday, after being found malnourished and unable to walk, lying in a fetal position on a mound of trash. His father has been charged with kidnapping, claiming he locked the child in a van to protect him from being sent to a psychiatric hospital, despite no medical records indicating any psychiatric issues. Friends and family had been led to believe the boy was in a psychiatric institution, and his teachers were told he had transferred to another school.

(UPDATED April 12, 2026 01:19 UTC)

Prosecutor Nicolas Heitz provided a statement regarding a disturbing case involving a young boy who was found lying naked and covered by a blanket on a mound of trash and near excrement. The boy's father claimed he locked him in a van to protect him from a partner who wanted to send the child to a psychiatric hospital, despite there being no medical records indicating any psychiatric issues before the boy's disappearance. Police were alerted on Monday, on Monday, and the boy was rescued on Saturday, with friends and family believing he was in a psychiatric institution and teachers informed he had transferred to a different school.

(UPDATED April 11, 2026 23:05 UTC)

A young boy is currently hospitalized following his rescue after being locked in a van by his father, who claimed he did so to protect him from being sent to a psychiatric hospital by his partner. The boy expressed to investigators that he faced significant difficulties with his father's partner and felt his father had no choice but to confine him, despite the prosecutor noting that there were no medical records indicating any psychiatric issues prior to his disappearance. Friends and family had been led to believe the boy was in a psychiatric institution, and his teachers were told he had transferred to another school.

(UPDATED April 11, 2026 13:18 UTC)

A 9-year-old boy was rescued from his father's utility van in Hagenbach, France, where he had been locked inside for a year and a half, found malnourished and unable to walk. The boy's father has been detained and faces preliminary kidnapping charges, while his partner is also facing charges for failing to help a minor in danger; the boy's two sisters have been placed in the care of social services. Police were alerted on Monday after a neighbor heard sounds of a child coming from the van, prompting authorities to force it open and rescue the boy, who had not showered since 2024 and was discovered lying in a fetal position on a mound of trash.