The Spanish police announced on Wednesday that they had taken into custody a German couple suspected of keeping their young children confined in a dilapidated house for over three years. This house has been referred to by local media as “The House of Horrors.”
Authorities from the northwestern region of Asturias held a press conference stating that the children, which included two eight-year-old twins and a 10-year-old, were found to be “neglected” and living in unsanitary conditions.
Earlier this month, a local resident reported the situation, leading police to discover that more individuals were residing in the house than registered. It was noted that the children had not been attending school.
A significant clue was the large volume of purchases made for the home, which had gone unnoticed by neighbors since it was rented in October 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Police Commissioner Francisco Xavier Lozano Garcia expressed surprise, stating, “We were all struck by the COVID syndrome… it is somewhat shocking to think that a family could live in such a manner for an extended period.”
Additionally, police indicated that the couple had stockpiled a considerable amount of medication.
Reports from local media indicated that the children were discovered wearing diapers and three surgical masks, and the father requested that police wear masks before conducting a search of the home.
Lozano Garcia remarked, “The fact that they were wearing masks could be significant.”
According to La Rezon Daily, the inside of the house emitted a foul odor, and all the windows were covered. When the children exited the property, they showed fascination with the grass, as if they had never been outside before.
A doctor provided medical assistance to the siblings before they were transferred to a child care facility.
On Monday, the couple was arrested in the city of Oviedo, and an investigation will look into how and why they were living in Spain.
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