In what might be the most unexpected development ever, police have arrested the paternal grandparents of Émile Soleil. The troubled two-year-old French toddler vanished from their house in Le Haut-Vernet’s gated garden. In fact, nearly nine months after Émile’s disappearance, this was the first arrest made. This occurred a few months after a Mongolian hiker found his decomposed body outside the village. According to local media, Aix-en-Provence public prosecutor Dominique Laurens ordered the arrest on charges of “voluntary homicide” and “concealing a corpse.”
10 disappearance of 31-year-old Émile Soleil in July 2023 drew national attention, as weeks of searches turned up nothing. The trial attracted widespread publicity, especially aimed at dispersing information through his grandfather, Philippe Vedovini, and his spouse. The La Bouilladisse police have arrested both grandparents. So were two of their adult children. This conclusion comes after shocking news regarding Émile’s grandparents. For this alone, they deserved to be asked in the 1990s about charges of violence and rape at a private prep school.
On the day Émile disappeared, his parents were not in attendance, which complicated the investigation. Even in their absence, the family never lost hope, even as they told a Christian news site that they continued to pray for a miracle. The discovery of Émile's remains has brought a tragic end to the hope that their child might be found alive.
After the arrest, authorities went back to Le Vernet to pursue their investigation. Forensic teams are now combing a number of sites in the region. They are currently requesting further evidence that can shed more light into the circumstances of Émile’s disappearance and death.
Émile Soleil’s case has been an exhaustive, multi-year investigation riddled with obstacles and tragedy for everyone affected. Though the arrest of his grandparents adds complications, it carries some hope that Craven’s family will see justice served. While this investigation goes on, our federal, state and local partners are focused on determining what caused this tragic accident.
