Grandparents and Two Others in Custody in Émile Soleil Death Investigation

Four family members, including Émile's grandparents, are detained as investigators probe potential foul play nearly two years after the toddler's disappearance.

Émile Soleil, aged two, disappeared in July 2023 while under the care of his grandparents in Haut-Vernet, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.
Four family members, including Émile's grandparents and two of their adult children, were placed in custody on March 25, 2025, for 'homicide volontaire' and 'recel de cadavre.'
Investigators are conducting a phase of evidence verification and confrontation, with criminalistic operations ongoing in various locations.
Wiretaps revealing family tensions and other evidence have refocused the investigation on the immediate family, though no charges have yet been filed.
The remains of Émile were discovered in March 2024, 1.7 kilometers from the family’s residence, prompting a shift from an accidental death theory to possible human intervention.