Former CIA psychic claims he identified the area where missing boy’s remains were found

The two-year-old’s disappearance sparked a huge manhunt involving drones, sniffer dogs and helicopters

A former CIA psychic has claimed he identified the area where the remains of a missing toddler were found on Saturday (AFP/Getty)

A former CIA psychic has claimed he identified the area where the remains of a missing toddler were found on Saturday.

Two-year-old Emile Soleil disappeared from a family reunion at his grandparents’ house in Le Vernet – a small village in the Alpes-des-Haute-Provence region of France with around 125 residents– on 8 July last year.

His disappearance sparked a huge manhunt involving drones, sniffer dogs and helicopters.

However, the toddler’s remains were discovered on Saturday just half a mile away from the isolated family home.

Major Ed Dames, an ex-CIA psychic told The Sun that he had traced the boy’s whereabouts in a matter of two days using “remote viewing”.

(AFP via Getty Images)

The 74-year-old showed the paper emails he sent to police in December claiming that Emile was “located at, or in proximity to” a field next to the site.

He developed his para-normal detective skills while at the joint CIA and Army Psychic Intelligence Unit which inspired the movie The Men Who Stare At Goats.

He said: “It took me two days. I jumped on it immediately. I knew this is a serious case and the sense of urgency is high.”

Lead prosecutor Rémy Avon, who is heading the judicial inquiry into his disappearance, said the possibilities that Emile had been murdered, kidnapped, or got involved in an accident were all being looked at.

A statement released by prosecutors in Aix-en-Provence on Sunday said genetic analysis identified the bones as belonging to Emile but that police were continuing to investigate the scene.

(AFP via Getty Images)

The search site is roughly one kilometre from the house in Haut-Vernet where the toddler was last seen with his grandfather, Philippe Vedovini, Le Figaro reports.

The mayor of Vernet, François Balique, told the French newspaper the child’s remains were found on a path between the church and chapel of the village.

Emile’s family lives in Marseille and he was on holiday at his maternal grandparents’ home at the time of his disappearance. Police said at least 10 people were present at the property for a family reunion.

The boy was officially in the care of Mr Vedovini on the day of his disappearance, as his parents took a break. A witness saw Mr Vedovini, a physiotherapist-osteopath, cutting wood outside his house around the time Emile is thought to have wandered off.

Volunteers took part in a search operation for two-and-a-half-year-old Emile (AFP via Getty Images)

The family was due to leave for a hiking outing, and Emile’s grandparents noticed he was missing when they went to put him in the car.

Emile was reportedly seen by two people when he left their home but they lost sight of him. Described as 3ft tall, with brown eyes and blond hair, Emile was wearing a yellow T-shirt, white shorts with a green pattern and walking shoes when he disappeared.

Police issued an appeal for information about Emile on 9 July and launched an extensive search operation in Le Vernet, aided by nearly 500 volunteers.

On 13 July, the search was called off and investigators admitted they had “no clue” what had happened to Emile.

There had been no trace of Emile since the day he vanished, with investigators refusing to rule out any theory for the tragedy, including abduction and murder.

There was no immediate comment about the discovery of the remains from Emile’s family, who were all at Easter Sunday mass when told.