Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
RESIDENTS of the quiet Asturian hamlet of Toleo remain in disbelief following the discovery of three children who had allegedly been kept in near-total isolation for nearly four years in what is now being dubbed Spain’s ‘house of horrors.’
Locals living just metres from the property have been shocked by the revelation. A German-American couple is accused of raising children in secrecy and squalor, without any access to the outside.
A 53-year old man and his wife of 48 years were arrested by police on Monday, after they received a tip from a neighbor. The villa was located near a convent for Carmelite nuns.
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Inside, officers found eight-year-old twins and a ten-year-old living in ‘seriously neglected’ conditions, surrounded by faeces, garbage, a sick cat, and sealed windows that had kept them hidden from the outside world.
All the children were wearing pyjamas with triple-layered face masks. They had not been out of their home since late 2021.
An officer who was involved in the rescue stated that “when we brought them out, they began to breath deeply as if it were their first time outside.” “One of them touched grass with his hand, amazed.”
Silvia became suspicious when she heard faint voices of children and noticed subtle curtain movements.
On April 14, she notified Oviedo Family and Childhood Services.
The tip she gave led to an investigation which culminated with the police operation this week that was conducted during Spain’s blackout.
Local officials expressed shock at the fact that a crime of this magnitude could have gone undetected for such a long time.
We have brought back three children to live. At a recent press conference, Chief Commissioner Francisco Javier Lozano said: “I had never thought that something like this would happen in our country.”
The neighbours say that they had no idea a family lived at 15A. This is located just 1.9km from the centre of Oviedo.
The father rarely opened the door and only let in food delivery or the postman.
Marino Guardado, a resident of Toleo for over two decades, told elDiario.es: “In these four years that the house was rented to this German couple with three children, I never saw anyone – no man, no woman, no children, no dog, no cat. “There was no-one living there.
Carmelite nuns who lived nearby were also shocked.
Sister Teresa: “We believed it was empty as the garden was not looked after, and there were no signs of life inside.”
Locals also expressed their disbelief. Elena Rodriguez, a local resident who walks regularly in the area told the news outlet that she had no idea anyone could live there. I never heard any sound. “It’s a big surprise.
The father had registered his residency, according to reports in February of 2022. This was months after he moved in.
Both he and his spouse, who were placed in custody provisionally without bail, are facing charges of child neglect and abuse, as well as illegal detention.
They have also lost their parental rights.
Investigators report that the children were primarily English speakers and never enrolled in school.
Social workers reported that the twins slept in cots without legs while the oldest child slept on a floor-based bed.
All three of them are currently under the care of Asturias’ regional government at a specialist centre where their mental and emotional well-being is assessed.
Marta del Arco, regional welfare minister said that it was too early to gauge the full extent and severity of the trauma. However, she assured the children they were receiving proper care.
Toleo, a small rural enclave in the Philippines, has attracted national attention.
The villa is off limits to journalists, who are stationed in the vicinity.
A sign with a handwritten message and cord warning that the property is private is displayed.
As the investigation progresses, the feeling of frustration and sadness that permeates the community will grow.
