Disappearance of Emile: the grandfather who looked after him was accused of violence against minors

Little Emile's grandfather appears as an assisted witness. in a legal case targeting the community traditionalist from Riaumont (Pas-de-Calais) which he joined in the 1990s. The courts did not bring the slightest charge against him.

Eight months after the disappearance of little Emile in the town of Vernet (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence), the profile of his grandfather, in charge of custody of the child at the time of his disappearance, attracts attention. If he was present on the day of the events in the hamlet of Haut-Vernet, this is his past. which now challenges investigators. The man is cited as as an "assisted witness" in an old legal case revealed by Le Canard Enchaîné. If what he is accused of has no connection with Emile's disappearance, it's more what it reveals about his "personality' who is interested today" specifies a judicial source from BFMTV.

Cité as an assisted witness in a case of violence against minors

A fervent Catholic, the man became closer to the community in the 1990s. traditionalist from Riaumont in Pas-de-Calais. A religious institution that consists of a religious community traditionalist, a children's village open until 2019 and a scout association. Despite the loss of its approval after a report of mistreatment, certain families continue to send their children to a non-contract school founded ; Riaumont in the early 1990s, it delivered CAPs in carpentry or masonry. The moment chosen by little Emile's grandfather, Philippe Vidovini, to enter the community. According to Le Canard Enchaîné, "frère Philippe" was charged with to bring order to the boarding school. 

It was between 2014 and 2017 that everything changed dramatically. his subject. Several complaints are filed by former students for mistreatment, physical, sexual violence and rape, against another member of the community. It is within the framework of the indictment of a certain André H. for sexual assault on a minor under 15 years old that the name of Philippe Vidovini arises. He is cited; under the status of assisted witness indicates Le Parisien.

He admits to having "sometimes givené slaps" &agrav; Riaumont

A priest still active throughout the world Riaumont entrusts à BFMTV the existence of a "story of minor violence". "Yes, there may have been disproportionate reactions from educators but that was never the case ; bonded by Riaumont. We've been marinating on this for five years" he regrets. In 2018, Philippe Vidovini was heard by the Lille PJ and admitted to having inflicted "somewhat harsh" &agrav; certain children in the establishment. He also admitted to having "sometimes givené There were slaps, but it wasn't often. However, he completely refuted the idea. the accusations against him regarding physical punishments at night and punching.

"He was the strictest of educators"

On the other hand, a former student of the establishment who accepted to testify in the columns of BFMTV gives a different speech about the grandfather of little Emile. "He was the strictest of educators. He was quite authoritarian, more so than the others. He was more at home. horse on discipline than the others. He gave punishments that we wouldn't have had with others. One day, he made me wait for him. knees in the corner. It touched me at the time but in the evening I didn't think about it anymore. he explains.

If he assures him that he "never éeé confronted&eac; &agrav; ça", in this case, à violence on the part of brother Philippe, he claims to have heard testimonies in which “people saw brother Philippe slap the face” children". Elements and testimonies which are, still today, analyzed by the gendarmes in charge of the investigation into the disappearance of Emile, July 8, 2023 in Haut-Vernet.