There was a sad story in southwestern France about a 9-year-old boy whose mother left him alone in their flat for two years without any food or water. The tough young boy showed amazing resourcefulness and drive despite the problems he faced.
He kept his life going even though he didn’t have power or heat, which were basic needs. Even after that, he kept going to school, and both his teachers and students thought he was a good student.
During this time, his friends were sometimes kind enough to bring him food, even though they didn’t know how hard things were for him. He got by on cake, canned food, and even tomatoes he picked from a neighbor’s porch. He had to rely on several layers of blankets to stay warm at night because he didn’t have any heating. Getting cold water every day became a normal part of his life.
It was funny because his mother lived in a nearby town, only 5 km from her son. But she didn’t visit him very often or take care of his health. It’s not clear what the boy’s father did in his life because he didn’t seem to be there at all.
After months of noticing, the boy’s neighbors found out that he was living alone and called the police. Even the mayor of the town admitted that it would have been hard for anyone to figure out what was going on. People thought that everything was fine because of how the boy looked and how well he did in school.
One neighbor said that the mother swore a lot and became angry when her son spoke back. The truth came out during the court case. Phone records showed that the mother did not live with her son and that he was responsible for his own schoolwork and studies. Even though she denied it, the boy was living alone, according to the neighbors.
The mother was charged with abandoning her child and not caring about her son’s safety. She got 18 months in jail and had to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet for an extra six months. Anyway, the boy is now a teenager and has said he doesn’t want to talk to his mother anymore. She has only come to see him once since he was in foster care.
This story breaks my heart because it shows how strong and resilient this young boy is. His determination to stay alive and keep going to school despite the difficult conditions is truly impressive. We hope that he gets the love and help he needs in his new life.
