Nine-year-old boy locked in van for 18-months freed

Police have rescued a nine-year-old boy who was allegedly locked inside a van by his father for 18-months and can no longer walk.

He was found in the French village of Hagenbach near Switzerland and Germany after someone heard him.

The child was naked, covered by a blanket, lying on a mound of trash and excrement.

The father told investigators that he'd locked his son up to protect him because his partner wanted him to put the child in a psychiatric hospital.

The partner said she had no idea the boy was in the van.

Both the woman and the man have been arrested.

To listen to world news correspondent Adam Gilchrist tell 702's Bongani Bingwa the full story, use the media player below (skip to 3:13):