Émile Case: Investigators Seize a Planter at Haut-Vernet, Investigation Continues

Investigators from the “Émile Cell,” led by the Marseille Research Section, returned to the village of Haut-Vernet (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) on Thursday, March 13, after several months of absence from the site of little Émile’s disappearance in July 2023. According to information from BFMTV, they left with a wooden planter located near the village chapel, which will be subjected to an examination, although it is still unclear what they hope to discover.

This large planter, used to block vehicle parking, was emptied of its rose bush before being taken by the investigators. In addition, they seized a set of keys allowing access to the chapel, where they spent several hours.

Émile, two and a half years old, disappeared on July 8, 2023, while spending his vacation with his grandparents. After months of investigations without results, the child’s remains were found by a hiker in March 2024, about 1.7 km from the village. Other items, such as clothing and a bone fragment, were discovered in the same area, but the exact cause of death remains unclear.

Investigators are now convinced that human intervention is “highly likely,” although whether it was voluntary or accidental remains undetermined. Witnesses, including the first gendarmes to arrive at the scene of the disappearance, are still being interviewed to gather every potentially useful detail for the investigation.

At this stage, no arrests have been made, but the investigation is actively ongoing under the direction of the judges of Aix-en-Provence. Authorities hope that this new phase of research will finally bring investigators closer to the truth behind the tragic death of little Émile.