An eight-year-old girl is said to have been held in a house in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia for almost her entire life in Germany. The prosecutor’s office is investigating the child’s mother and grandparents.
It is believed that they would have prevented the girl from “participating in life” – neither in kindergarten, nor in school, or when playing with other children. The girl reportedly lived in her grandparents’ house in the town of Attendorn, which has a population of about 25,000, for nearly seven years, without being allowed to leave it.
According to the public prosecutor in Siegen, the mother once told youth services that she and her child would move to Italy. However, youth care then received signals that the child was not there at all. The Italian authorities subsequently confirmed this, which probably never had been there.
That is why youth care and the police had already reported the matter to the parental home in September. “You had to go in with a court order,” said the senior prosecutor in charge. Officials have said the child – who is now nearly nine years old – met them on the stairs.
The background is still completely unclear. According to the researchers, the mother and grandparents make use of their right to remain silent. The girl is now in foster care. There is currently no evidence of physical abuse or malnutrition.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
