Almost four months have passed since two-year-old Émile disappeared without a trace from his grandparents’ home in the mountain village of Vernet in the south of France, on 8 July.
A massive search operation was launched for the little boy, but so far without success.
Now comes the French news channel BFM TV with new details about the day Émile disappeared.
According to the channel, “a new, possible suspect” has been identified in the disappearance case. This is a 17-year-old boy, who lives with his parents on a farm in the neighboring village.
Searched the home
According to BMF TV, the 17-year-old was identified as a possible suspect last week. Both he and his parents have already been questioned.
The family’s home, located in the hamlet of Roussimal, about five kilometers from Vernet, was searched last week.
The 17-year-old should already be known for minor offences, and for having driven his tractor through the streets of the village far too fast, writes the news channel.
New claim: Camouflaged as disappearance
– A heated argument
According to the new information, the 17-year-old should have had a heated argument with Émile’s grandfather on the day the little boy disappeared.
According to the 17-year-old’s cousin, the grandfather must have become angry because the 17-year-old must have damaged a wall in his house with his tractor.
The cousin is one of the two witnesses who should have seen Émile last, writes the channel. He says the 17-year-old was not driving his tractor on the day Émile disappeared, and claims the cousin came to him on foot.
However, this claim is contradicted by other testimony. At least one local resident must have seen a tractor pass by that morning, writes BFM TV.
– To be honest, I don’t understand what the investigators are trying to find. A child disappears and they focus on a young person who has nothing to do with it, says the cousin.
He dismisses the accusations against his cousin as rumours.
Looking for new tracks
– Nothing to hide
The police have stated that they are keeping all possibilities open, while at the same time they have not made any findings that indicate that anything criminal has happened to the two-year-old.
One of the police’s theories has been that the disappearance may be due to a revenge riot with a political motive.
French media write that Émile’s father must have been a member of the far-right group Social Bastion when he studied. In 2021, both parents will have been on a political list linked to the right-wing populist Eric Zemmour, according to BFM.
2023-10-27 12:38:41
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