A Roman Catholic priest who came out with those who were suspected of killing tragic French boy Émile Soleil reportedly committed suicide, it arose today.
Father Claude Gilliot, 85, baptized the child before his death in the Alps in the summer of 2023, only two years old.
He was once very close to the grandparents of Émile, Philippe and Anne Vedovini, who are currently in custody in Marseille, along with two of their 10 adult children.
All are confronted with criminal prosecution of 'deliberate murder' and 'hide a corpse' in relation to the death of Émile, have confirmed public prosecutors.
Emile's parents were not arrested with regard to the current murder investigation.
Father Gilliot often expressed his emotional fear during the Saga, and reportedly 'took his own life' last Saturday in his house in Aix-en-Provence, it was created today.
This is exceptionally unusual for Roman Catholic clergy, who regard suicide as a mortal sin, on the same footing with murder.
A source of research said that the cause of death was' a huge overdose ', and that he left an apparent suicide note and said:' Warn my sister. Tell her that I love her. Tell my brother -in -law, I love them.
'Love alone is important. Proclaim the gospel. God is good and merciful, oh sweet Jesus, gentle and modest of the heart. '
Emile Soleil was missing in 2023 in a sleepy Alpine Village in France
Father Gilliot (photo, undated) would have taken his own life last Saturday
Grandfather Philippe Vedovini at the funeral of Little Emile in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume on February 8, 2025
The Vedovini family is all pious Roman Catholics and at a certain moment trusted Father Gilliot for their spiritual guidance, including celebrating mass and hearing confessions.
But they fell out after Father Gilliot had given a photo of Émile to the media, in an attempt to find the little boy.
There was a very public fall -out with the grandfather of Émile's maternal grandfather, Philippe Vedovini.
Insults were exchanged, which resulted in the family that the Aix-en-Provence-Kapel Boycot where Father Gilliot was official.
After the death of Father Gilliot, his sister, Claudine Vandenbroucke, said: “I am very angry with the family of Émile, because I think it all started with them.”
Mgr. Christian Delarbre, the Archbishop of Aix, called for all members of the diocese to participate in prayers for father Gilliot, who was a Dominican priest.
The guardianship period for Philippe and Anne Vedovini, both 59, was extended on Wednesday after their arrests on Tuesday, together with two adult children.
Gendarme is outside the house of the grandparents of Emile Soleil on Tuesday
Researchers remove a horse trailer from the building of the grandparents of Emile Soleil
French Gendarmes participate in a search operation for two and a half -year -old Émile who reports missing
Émile stayed in the isolated Vedovinis holiday home in the Alpine Hamlet of Haut-Veret, south of Grenoble, when he was missing in July 2023.
His remains, including a broken skull, were found in the area nine months later after daily searches.
Research sources have confirmed that the Vedovinis, who took care of Émile when he was missing, were arrested after months of political cranes.
Conversations between them and other family members were all listened to secretly, while questions were performed around their lives.
Mr Vedovini is also being investigated in connection with a completely different matter with regard to sexual abuse at a Roman Catholic school in the 1990s.
Marie and Colomban Soleil, parents of Emile, arrive at the funeral ceremony in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, southern France, on 8 February 2025
Emile (photo) was last seen in a yellow T-shirt and white shorts, researchers said at the time
He trained to be a monk when he worked at Riaumont, a Catholic community with a boarding school for troubled young people in North France.
Mr Vedovini, who was known as brother Philippe at the time, denies every misconduct.
He gave up his calling to become a monk to marry his wife, Anne Vedovini.
They brought 10 children, including the mother of Émile, who is now known under her married name Marie Soleil, and she is married to the father of Émile, Colomban Soleil, 27.
