In a shocking case from Hagenbach, eastern France, a 9-year-old boy was rescued after being locked in his father's utility van since November 2024. Local prosecutor Nicolas Heitz reported that police were alerted by a neighbor who heard noises coming from the van. Upon arrival, officers found the boy in a fetal position, malnourished, and unable to walk due to prolonged confinement. His father, who has been detained on preliminary kidnapping charges, stated he locked the boy up to protect him from his partner's intention to send him to a psychiatric hospital. However, there were no medical records indicating the boy had any psychiatric issues prior to his disappearance. The boy's sister and the daughter of his father's partner have been placed in the care of social services. The prosecutor's office is investigating whether others were aware of the child's situation, as friends and family believed he was in a psychiatric institution. Local residents expressed shock over the incident, highlighting the community's unawareness of the boy's plight.