02.05.2025 17:00
In the city of Oviedo, Spain, police rescued three children who had been confined at home for four years by their American mother and German father. Spanish media reported that the parents had 'imprisoned' the children to protect them from COVID. It was noted that the children had not seen sunlight since 2021 and were still using diapers, while the parents were taken into custody.
The electricity outages in Spain have revealed domestic abuse. In the city of Oviedo, police rescued three children who had been confined at home for four years by an American mother and a German father. The 8-year-old twins and their 10-year-old sibling saw sunlight for the first time since 2021. The parents who confined the children at home have been arrested.
ELECTRICITY OUTAGES REVEALED ABUSE
On Monday, Oviedo police visited the house during the electricity outages in Spain and were horrified by the conditions in which the children lived. Spanish police stated that the children behaved extremely timidly during the rescue operation. A police official said, "They screamed when they saw a snail after being taken out to the garden."
CHILDREN STILL WEARING DIAPERS
During the inspection inside the house, drawings of monsters were found on the children's beds, along with scattered medications. It was determined that despite being of primary school age, the children still had to wear diapers and slept in cage-like beds.
According to a report by El Pais, the children who underwent health checks were found to have severe constipation. Authorities stated that the children's toilet use was even restricted to certain hours.
PARENTS' COVID OBSESSION
According to a report by the Daily Mail, 53-year-old German father Christian Steffen and 48-year-old American mother Melissa Ann Steffen confined themselves and their children at home due to fears of COVID-19. There were six air purification devices found in the house.
According to police records, the family moved to Oviedo after receiving a warning for preventing the children from going to school in 2021. El Pais alleged that the parents obtained ADHD medication for the children on the black market.