Austrian 'hid daughter in cellar' [for 24 years]

[dong20]

"A 73-year-old Austrian is under arrest on suspicion of hiding his daughter in a cellar for 24 years and fathering seven children with her, police say.

The existence of the woman, believed missing since 1984 and now 42, emerged after a teenager said to be her daughter was taken to hospital."


Some of the children had spent their entire lives (up to 16 years) in the basement, seeing daylight for the first time only after their mother's incarceration was discovered.


A similar case, also in Austria came to light in Summer 2006.



BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Austrian 'hid daughter in cellar'
BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Timeline: Austrian cellar case

 

[shotinstar]

Too bad .. the kidnapper died.
We never know his motive.

I have been to Vienna and Salzburg, and absolutely love it.
I feel bad that these things happened in Austria.

 

[naughty]

That is so unbelievably sad. It breaks my heart to think that for 3/4 of her life she has had to deal with this abuse. Amazing. How could the grandmother not know?

 

[Gillette]

Josef Fritzl had been refusing to answer questions put by detectives, although Gerhard Sedlacek, a prosecution spokesman, said Elisabeth's accusations of kidnapping and incest are "credible".

Credible.

That's rich.

I can only imagine the anguish all are going through right now. It's a lot of information and horror to process.

 

[Mr. Snakey]

This is such a sad story. I will never understand how someone could be so mean to another person. I makes me mad.

 

[Krusader]

Wow no one discovered this for a quarter of a century? amazing and sad

 

[Calcium]

I can't read this story without "Goodbye Horses" playing in my head.

 

[B_boynextdoorkpt]

I read this on CNN today, he has 7 other children in the house and even had children with his young woman, I cannot believe this happend and no one in that house reported him!

 

[Freddie53]

I read this on CNN today, he has 7 other children in the house and even had children with his young woman, I cannot believe this happend and no one in that house reported him!

Landon, people like that convince those that they hold in bondage that the abuser is doing this abuse because the abused person needs it. They are brain washed to not see the horror of what is happening to them. Cases like that are very tragic. That is why I question public schools that teach blind loyalty to their students. It can be vary dangerous to teach children that daddy is ALWAYS right. If "daddy" said it, it must be true and is not suppose to be questioned or even thought about being questioned.

 

[B_cigarbabe]

It is said the mother would only tell her story after she was assured by detectives that she would never have to see her father again.
What would posess such a man to hide then molest and make
babies with his own daughter? Not just one child like the man and his daughter in Australia (Deaves}, but seven?
The mental hospital where all have been taken to, say the daughter is very disturbed mentally and physically.
I'm sure they all must be hurting beyond belief. I would like to hear from the victims how and why they think their own grandfather would do this and why would the wife be so totally oblivious to what was going on in the basement.
Why did she never go down there in twenty-four years?
Horribly evil man {couple?}
This men and the crimes they commit are beyond my forgiving or comprehension.
cigarbabe:saevil:

 

[ManlyBanisters]

Too bad .. the kidnapper died.
We never know his motive.

That's in the 2nd case (reported 2006) dong linked to - in this recent case they have the man in custody and he is giving / has given a confession. Apparently his daughter had 7 children by him, one died in infancy and he disposed of the body in a heating oven.

That is so unbelievably sad. It breaks my heart to think that for 3/4 of her life she has had to deal with this abuse. Amazing. How could the grandmother not know?

She did - I mean she must have, because 3 of the surviving children lived with her and the (grand)father in the house while the other three lived in the basement with their mother. I don't see how she can't have been aware her daughter was there and that these children were a result of her husband abusing their child. There's not enough info to say whether she (the (grand)mother) was party to the abuse as a victim herself or as an abuser. Most probably both actually. Often the abuser gets one victim to 'help control' another - for example Genie's father abused both her mother and their son too and made them both abuse Genie.

 

[HamYai]

Makes me wonder how many people are being held hostage across the world at any given moment.

Silence of the Lambs.

Scary thought.

 

[Gillette]

She did - I mean she must have, because 3 of the surviving children lived with her and the (grand)father in the house while the other three lived in the basement with their mother. I don't see how she can't have been aware her daughter was there and that these children were a result of her husband abusing their child.

Austria in shock over incest abuse case - Yahoo! Canada News

He legally adopted two of the boys and one girl, allegedly telling his wife, Rosemarie, and local authorities that three babies had been left by Elisabeth on their doorstep, in different years.

Each delivery was accompanied by a letter purportedly signed by Elisabeth Fritzl saying she could not support the child because she already had others to care for.

If the explanation given her is plausible and she has neither the reason nor the desire to suspect something's amiss she wouldn't entertain those thoughts.

I agree it's difficult to believe she was completely unaware. I think in order for her to have her head stuck that far in the sand she must have known there was some knowledge to hide from.

Then again, she could just be stupid.

 

[Drifterwood]

Makes me wonder how many people are being held hostage across the world at any given moment.

Millions of women are or have been trafficked as sex slaves/chattels and child labour slaves. Their own mothers and fathers sell them.

It's a big bad world.

 

[ManlyBanisters]

Austria in shock over incest abuse case - Yahoo! Canada News

He legally adopted two of the boys and one girl, allegedly telling his wife, Rosemarie, and local authorities that three babies had been left by Elisabeth on their doorstep, in different years.

Each delivery was accompanied by a letter purportedly signed by Elisabeth Fritzl saying she could not support the child because she already had others to care for.

If the explanation given her is plausible and she has neither the reason nor the desire to suspect something's amiss she wouldn't entertain those thoughts.

I agree it's difficult to believe she was completely unaware. I think in order for her to have her head stuck that far in the sand she must have known there was some knowledge to hide from.

Then again, she could just be stupid.

Thanks G, I hadn't read that much, I was basing my comments on what I heard on BBC news. I guess it is possible she didn't know if that is true. In which case she is still a victim of sorts.

 

[swordfishME]

To me something in this story does not add up. If the wife is the mother of the alleged victim, would she have not asked to be in contact with her daughter over the quarter of a century that apparently her husband was in contact with their daughter for? And how can you live in a house for 24 years and never have been down to the basement?!? I suspect that this woman knew about this and either didn't care, was part of the abuse or was brainwashed into believing that this was not wrong.

 

[Fanof4skin]

Maybe he only went to the celler when his wife was out of the house. Or at night asleep. Maybe he only went once a week with a plate of food and forced sex.

Maybe the wife thought the daughter had been kidnapped and never suspected her husband. Who knows? :frown1:

 

[Gillette]

Thanks G, I hadn't read that much, I was basing my comments on what I heard on BBC news. I guess it is possible she didn't know if that is true. In which case she is still a victim of sorts.

Still a valid question.

Lower Austria police chief, Franz Polzer, said there was "a wide range of questions that still need answering" such as how Fritzl supplied the woman and children with food, how the babies were born and cared for in such cramped conditions, and how he could have incarcerated his victims for so long without his wife knowing.

Also curious how the three children he adopted never noticed anything hinky.

 

[D_Ivana Dickenside]

i was so sad when i read this article yesterday. for a father to imprison his own daughter and force her to do the most unimaginable things against her will, it absolutely sickens me. people like him make me doubt if there is any good left in the world.

 

[thugcock05]

WOW is that fucking awful. What a real deal monster, I thought for a second the headline was some sick ass incest fictional story but shit then i read the story from AP.