The massive search effort for two-year-old Émile went on for two weeks in the Alps.
Despite dozens of police, military, dog handlers and helicopters searching buildings, vehicles and terrain – there is no trace of the boy.
– The investigation into the reasons for his disappearance will continue, says Remy Avon, prosecutor.
The small alpine village of Haut-Vernet, in southeastern France. The village, which has only 25 inhabitants, is located at an altitude of 1,200 meters. On July 8, two-year-old Émile was playing in the garden outside his grandparents’ house where he lived at the time. The grandparents turned their backs and suddenly he was gone.
The last time he was seen alive, it was a couple of neighbors who saw him walking alone along a road in the village.
A massive search effort has been looking for the boy. Dozens of police and soldiers backed by dogs and a helicopter have searched 30 buildings, 12 vehicles and over 12 hectares of terrain around Haut-Vernet and 25 people have been interviewed by police.
But in vain.
The boy’s life in “great danger”
The search effort ended just under a week ago without success. Since then, the investigators’ focus has instead shifted to going through and evaluating the evidence collected, according to the prosecutor.
– The investigation into the reasons for his disappearance will continue, especially through the analysis of the considerable amount of information collected over four days, says Remy Avon.
The terrain in the search area made the search difficult as it is hilly, rocky and consists of several watercourses. In addition, the heat wave that hit Southern Europe has pushed the temperature up to around 35 degrees during the days so the searches were done.
Early in the investigation, the prosecutor announced that Émile is in mortal danger, and as the days pass, the concern that the boy has died increases.
– Medically, now that more than 48 hours have passed and considering the child’s young age… And the intense heat… Is there a great danger to his life, he says.
The theories: Combine, the family and kidnapping
Police are still hoping for a breakthrough in the investigation and have asked for the public’s help. A recently taken photograph of Emilie has been published and a description describes him as wearing a yellow shirt, white shorts and hiking boots when he disappeared.
The police are investigating several theories surrounding the boy’s disappearance. According to a local police source, a family reunion must have been going on in the village and witnesses have said that Émile was seen arguing with his cousin in the days before his disappearance, writes Le Figaro.
In addition, the family is being investigated for their possible involvement in the boy’s disappearance. This is what a source with access to the investigation told French La Depeche.
A farmer in the village believes that the boy may have gotten lost in the tall grass and then died when he was run over by a combine harvester.
– The little one may have ended up in the tall grass and been run over by a harvester. It would be terrible, says the farmer to the television channel BFMTV.
The village’s mayor Francois Balique now says that their best hope to find the boy alive – is that he was kidnapped.
– Our only hope now is that he is caught and alive. It’s the last thing we can hope for – even if it’s terrible.