Else Beekman
A couple has been arrested in the Asturian city of Oviedo after police discovered they had kept their three young children locked inside their home since 2021. The children—twin eight-year-old boys and their ten-year-old brother—were found in appalling sanitary conditions, without access to education and still sleeping in cots.
Local police located the children in a family home in the rural Fitoria area of Oviedo. According to investigators, the house was in a severe state of neglect, with the children surrounded by excrement and animals. Shockingly, they were still wearing nappies.
Parents in custody
The father, a 53-year-old German national, and the mother, aged 48, originally from the United States but also holding German citizenship, were detained and initially held at the Guardia Civil headquarters in Oviedo. Following their court appearance before Oviedo’s Court of Instruction No. 3, the judge ordered their immediate imprisonment, according to sources close to the investigation. The couple had been renting the rural property since October 2021.
Investigation triggered by neighbour’s alert
The investigation began on 14 April after a neighbour contacted the Oviedo City Council’s Family and Childhood Services. She suspected children were living in the house, having occasionally heard voices and seen them at the windows, despite never seeing them outside. Police surveillance over several days revealed that the only activity at the property was the collection of large grocery deliveries, which raised suspicions given that only one adult was registered as living there.
Authorities intervene following surveillance
After consultation with the juvenile prosecutor’s office, authorities issued a warrant to enter the property. The intervention took place on Monday, shortly before a power cut in the area. Seven local police officers, regional social services staff, a German interpreter, and the regional child protection lawyer coordinated the operation. Officers entered the house with the consent of the male occupant. There, they conducted an initial inspection in his and the mother’s presence. The interior showed clear evidence of risk to the children’s wellbeing, including extreme unsanitary conditions and a significant stockpile of medication.
Children masked and fearful
A police officer speaking to La Nueva España described the moment they entered the property: “The man opened the gate and, after we explained our presence, confirmed there were children inside. He allowed us entry but asked us to wait while masks were placed on the children. They were visibly frightened and clinging to their mother. She repeatedly insisted they suffered from serious health issues and warned us not to approach. Each child wore three face masks layered on top of each other. They seemed completely disconnected from reality. One of them touched the grass with amazement. As soon as they were outside, all three began breathing deeply, as if they had never experienced fresh air.”
Following their removal from the property, the children received immediate medical attention. Accompanied by their mother, they were transferred peacefully and with great care for a clinical assessment. Forensic examinations are now underway to determine the full extent of their condition.
Children now in care
The three children are now under the protection of the Asturian regional government’s Department of Social Rights and Welfare. They have been placed in a residential care centre in Oviedo. Regional minister Marta del Arco confirmed that the Directorate-General for Childhood and Families has assumed legal custody. The children are currently undergoing a full assessment covering their physical, psychological, social, and emotional wellbeing.
Police: “House of horrors”
Chief Commissioner Francisco Javier Lozano of the Oviedo Local Police described the scene starkly: “We have dismantled the house of horrors.”
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