A 9-year-old boy has been rescued after being locked in his father's utility van in eastern France since 2024, according to the local prosecutor. The child was found malnourished and could no longer walk due to his long seated position. His father, who was also detained, told investigators that he put the child in the van in November 2024 to protect him as his partner wanted to send him to a psychiatric hospital. The boy's mother, who denied knowledge of the child's whereabouts, was released under judicial supervision. The prosecutor's office is investigating whether others were aware of the locked-up boy's whereabouts.