Detectives that investigate the death of the French toddler Emile Soleil today revealed the horrible details of how they believe the toddler died while they continue to work around the clock to resolve the mystery.
Public Prosecutor Jean-Luc Bachon told reporters that his team was still investigating the 'probability' that Emile was attacked by a 'third party' when he disappeared in July 2023, after releasing the child's grandparents and two of their children.
He said scars were found on the Skull found in March was 'suggestive for violent face trauma'.
“The expert reports suggest the chance of third -party involvement in the disappearance and death of Emile Soleil.”
In a shocking revelation, he added that the bones of Emile were 'transported and deposited shortly before their discovery' near a river in the sleepy Alpine Hamlet in March 2024.
“They also allow us to confirm that their child's body is not dissected in the clothing in the forest,” which were found in April.
Bachon spoke after the grandparents of Emile, who took care of him when he disappeared from their holiday home in Haut Vernet, were released from detention, which were held on suspicion of voluntary murder cases and hide a corpse this week.
The public prosecutor today clarified that the line of research in which the family was involved was simply 'one of the other', while he noticed that the family path has not yet been closed '.
He said that the investigation had reached a stage “where it became necessary to confront and alleviate the people who are most affected by the tragedy.
The four were arrested “in the light of the results of the expert reports,” he said.
Emile Soleil was missing in 2023 in a sleepy Alpine Village in France
Grandfather Philippe Vedovini at the funeral of Little Emile in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume on February 8, 2025
Anne Vedovini, 59, was arrested with her husband on Tuesday. Emile Soleil had stayed with his grandparents at the time of his disappearance
Bachon also revealed a set back in the study, such as the Blood Coated Planter on Sunday near the Saint Martin Chapel 'contained no evidence that would probably promote the research'.
Colonel Christophe Berthelin ensured that around 15 researchers work every day since the disappearance of July 2023 to understand what happened to the child.
Since the discovery of his remains last year, more have been brought in to help with the probe.
Researchers have already performed 287 witness interviews, combed 285 hectares of land and brought more than 60 expert missions together to analyze the findings.
Both spoke today at a press conference after the grandparents and two of their adult children, who were not mentioned, were released out of custody.
In France, people can be arrested for interrogation while the police are investigating. It does not mean that legal proceedings will necessarily be established against them.
The guardianship period for Philippe and Anne Vedovini, both 59, ended early on Thursday morning after 72 hours of asking about Émile Soleil, who was two when he died.
On Tuesday, the Vedovinis were arrested at Dawn raids together with two of their adult children, identified as Émile's aunt and uncle.
Marie and Colomban Soleil, parents of Emile, arrive at the funeral ceremony in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, southern France, on 8 February 2025
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
All confronted with accusations of 'intentional murder' and 'hide a corpse', said a statement released by Aix-en-Provence officers of justice.
But at 5 o'clock on Thursday, the four were released from the secure Gendarmerie in Marseille where they were held.
The mystery became deeper when it appeared yesterday that the Roman Catholic priest of the family who baptized Emile before he was missing “had taken his own life,” according to reports.
Father Claude Gilliot, 85, would have died of a 'massive overdose' last Saturday week in his house in Aix-en-Provence, French Media reports. Claims have been submitted that he fell with the Vedovinis before his death.
Father Gilliot had often expressed his emotional fear during the Saga.
The priest was once very close to the grandparents of Émile, along with two of their 10 adult children.
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.
Two -year -old Emile Soleil who disappeared in July 2023 in Alpine Hamlet from Le Vernet, France
Gendarme is outside the house of the grandparents of Emile Soleil on Tuesday
Father Gilliot (depicted, undated) is supposed to have taken his own life
There was a very public fallout with the grandfather of Émile, with insults Exchanged, resulting in the family who boycotted the Aix-en-Provence chapel where Father Gilliot was official.
Speaking outside the gendarmerie after her client was released, the lawyer of Mr Vedovini, Isabelle Colombani said: 'After 17 hours of interrogation, custody was lifted today.
'It is a relief for them, and also for their lawyers. I have never been worried. I thought we could explain everything. There were perhaps some gray areas to clean up, but that's it. '
Julien Pinelli, Mrs. Vedovini's defense lawyer, said: 'The custody of my client has been lifted, which of course is a huge relief. She walks away freely. '
He said that the grandmother of Émile wanted to participate in what could of course be seen as a test, but she did this because she thought it was also her contribution to this study, the results of which are now waiting. “
There was no immediate statement from Aix-en-Provence Officers of Justice or Judicial Police, who are in charge of the investigation.
They were initially able to hold the four family members for a maximum of 72 hours, but can extend the storage period at any time in the future, as the research continues.
Research sources have confirmed that the Vedovinis, who took care of Émile when he was missing, were arrested after months of political cranes.
Emile (photo) was last seen in a yellow T-shirt and white shorts, researchers said at the time
Mr Vedovini depicted at the funeral of Emile Soleil on February 8, 2025
A gendarme is outside the house of the grandparents of Emile Soleil on March 25
Conversations between them and other family members were all listened to secretly, while questions were performed around their lives.
At the time of the disappearance of Émile, Mr. Vedovini admitted 'fifteen minutes of inattention'.
The search for the child finally ended when the bones of Emile were found in March 2024 by a disaster.
A witness saw Mr. Vedovini, an physiotherapist-osteopath, who cuts wood outside his house around the time Émile would have run away from the building in Haut-Veret.
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.
Mr Vedovini trained to be a monk when he worked at Riaumont, a Catholic community with a boarding school for restless 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.
Both remain pious Roman Catholics that have raised 10 children, including the mother of Émile, who is now known under her married name Marie Soleil.
Her husband is Colomban Soleil, 27, who is the father of Émile.
Emile's parents were not arrested with regard to the current murder investigation.
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