Clothes and shoes that belonged to a young French child, who tragically passed away under puzzling circumstances in the Alps, were discovered approximately 500ft away from his partially damaged and injured skull, as per recent revelations.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Jean-Luc Blachon, the Aix-en-Provence prosecutor, shared unsettling updates regarding the case of two-year-old Émile Soleil.
Hiker Discovers Missing Émile Solei's Skull, Bones
The discovery of his remains in a remote area near his family's isolated home, where he had disappeared in July of last year, confirmed his tragic death.
During a press conference, Blachon revealed that the gendarmes had found Emile's clothes approximately 150 meters away.
The items of clothing were found spread out over a few meters, rather than being collected in one place, according to the prosecutor in charge of the criminal investigation into Émile's death.
Blachon mentioned that wild animals might have scattered Émile's remains and could have caused "small fractures" and "bite marks" on his skull, The Sun reported.
Émile's skull may have been damaged due to a fall, but Blachon has not ruled out other possibilities such as murder or manslaughter.
According to Blachon, the examination of the bones does not provide enough information to determine the cause of Émile's death. Additionally, it was noted that a tooth was missing.
A woman who was hiking during the Easter weekend made a discovery in a very steep area, approximately a 25-minute walk from the hamlet of Haut-Vernet, near Grenoble.
Émile was staying at his family's holiday home there, and was under the supervision of his grandfather, 58-year-old Philippe Vedovini, on the day of his disappearance, while his parents took a break.
When questioned about whether the area where Émile's remains had been searched before, Blachon confirmed that it had, but without the use of drones or specialized dogs.
Blachon stated that it is currently unclear if Emile's body was already in the area that was searched. It cannot be stated that a thorough search was conducted in every square meter, according to Mirror.
The terrain in that area poses challenges due to its steep slopes, which can make observation and excavation quite challenging. A woman discovered the skull and bones while taking a stroll along a familiar path between noon and 2pm. She recalled having walked on the same path a month prior.
Blanchon mentioned that the hiker was quite unsettled by the finding and decided to store the skull and bones in a plastic bag. After returning home, she promptly contacted the authorities. She accurately identified the precise location where she discovered the skull.
Missing French Boy's Dad Under Investigation
The family has not provided any comment regarding the discovery of Émile Solei's remains. The family attended an Easter Sunday mass when they received the news.
Philippe Vedovini is a deeply committed Catholic who made the decision to leave his calling as a monk in order to marry his wife, Anne Vedovini. In recent weeks, it came to light that Vedovini was under investigation as part of an ongoing criminal inquiry into cases of historical child abuse.
Philippe Vedovini, who strongly denies any wrongdoing, was pursuing a monastic path when he was employed at a school that has been associated with cases of sexual abuse, including rape, during the early 1990s. Mr. Vedovini, formerly known as Brother Philippe during his time at the school, was involved in the ongoing investigation as a "assisted witness."
According to a source familiar with the ongoing investigation, he was interviewed by the police in April 2018 and acknowledged using physical discipline that could be considered "somewhat harsh." However, he maintained that he had never violated any laws.
Police have also investigated the political background of the family, which leans towards the extreme right wing. In 2018, Émile's father was taken into custody for an incident involving individuals from other countries. However, he was later released after making a commitment to uphold peace.
It was confirmed that a search was conducted at Émile's parents' home in the southern town of La Bouilladisse, near Marseille, back in July. Additionally, the homes of the grandparents, both nearby and in the Alps, were also raided.
