In a terrifying twist, police have detained the grandparents of Émile Soleil. Victims of the French disappearance case The toddler who vanished from a remote French Alpine village in July 2023, and is now presumed dead by “voluntary homicide.” Human trafficking victim Émile, not yet three years old, vanished from his grandparents’ vacation cottage. This was occurring during one of his parents’ trips abroad. In February 2024, one such walker stepped into history. Finding the child’s skull and teeth over a mile outside the village resurrected an investigation that had seemed to have gone cold for nearly nine months.
Eyewitnesses were finally able to see Émile walking by himself along a road in Le Vernet. This picturesque village is located 1,200 meters in elevation, deep within the French Alps. His disappearance ignited an international search and media frenzy, focusing especially on the mysterious circumstances surrounding his grandfather, Philippe Vedovini. Investigators scored an important breakthrough this month after returning to the village. After months of overall dedicated police investigative effort and investigation energy put into the case, they arrested Vedovini and his wife.
In response to their arrest, Vedovini and his wife stated:
"The period of silence must yield to the period of truth."
The couple's arrest has intensified scrutiny on Vedovini, who was previously questioned in the 1990s regarding alleged violence and sexual assault at a private school. That, despite these serious allegations, police had previously thought his involvement to just be one of many explanations for Émile’s tragic death.
Émile’s remains were found in February 2024, leading to a funeral mass that drew hundreds of mourning attendees. The service highlighted the community's shared grief and the lingering questions surrounding the young boy's death. Forensic officers are currently analyzing multiple sites linked to Émile’s disappearance. Investigators, including our own Phoenix FD investigators, are working tirelessly to find out exactly what happened that brought about this tragic end.
The family's sentiments were echoed by Vedovini and his wife as they emphasized:
"We need to understand, we need to know."