New Revelations In Imprisonment Shocker

Cops: Austrian Dad Imprisoned Daughter 24 Years, Fathered 7 Kids By Her, 3 Of Whom "Never Saw Sunlight"

(AP)  A man has confessed to imprisoning his daughter for 24 years in a windowless basement cell and fathering seven children with her, three of whom "never saw sunlight" until they were freed over the weekend, police said Monday.

The man, now 73, also told investigators that he tossed the body of one of the children in an incinerator when the infant died shortly after birth, said Franz Polzer, head of the Lower Austrian Bureau of Criminal Affairs.

"We are being confronted with an unfathomable crime," Interior Minister Guenther Platter said.

Authorities said three of the surviving children were confined during their entire lives to the darkness of their cell by the suspect, who Polzer said "managed to deceive everyone" until he allegedly confessed in police custody Monday.

The suspect, identified as Josef F., was an authoritarian who took care never to allow anyone near the cellar, Polzer told reporters.

The daughter, who is now 42, had been missing since 1984 and was found by police in the town of Amstetten on Saturday evening after police received a tip.

Police released several photos showing parts of the cramped basement cell, with a small bathroom and a narrow passageway leading to a tiny bedroom. Investigators said an electronic keyless-entry system apparently kept the daughter from escaping from the cell, which was made of solid reinforced concrete.

The suspect was expected to appear in court later Monday.

"He admitted that he locked his daughter, who was 18 at the time, in the cellar, that he repeatedly had sex with her, and that he is the father of her seven children," Polzer told The Associated Press.

Three of the surviving children lived with the grandparents and were registered with authorities. The other three apparently were held captive in the cellar with their mother, Polzer told reporters.

Hans-Heinz Lenze, a senior local official, said the suspect's wife apparently had "no idea" of what went on and was devastated.

"You have to imagine that this woman's world fell apart," he said.

Austrians - still scandalized by a 2006 case involving a young woman who was kidnapped and imprisoned in a basement cell outside Vienna for more than eight years - expressed disbelief at the latest case.

"The entire nation must ask itself just what is fundamentally going wrong," the newspaper Der Standard said Monday in a commentary.

Guenter Pramreiter, who owns a bakery just down the street, told the AP that the suspect and his wife would regularly buy bread and rolls, though never in large quantities.

"They appeared normal, just like any other family," Pramreiter said. "I'm totally shocked. This was next door. It's terrible."

The case unfolded after a gravely ill teenager was found unconscious April 19 in the building where her grandparents live, and taken to a hospital in the town of Amstetten, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) west of Vienna. Authorities publicly appealed for her to come forward to help diagnose the young woman's condition.

After receiving a tip, police picked up the 42-year-old woman - identified as Elisabeth F. - and her father on Saturday close to the hospital.

Police said Elisabeth F. appeared "greatly disturbed" during questioning. She agreed to talk only after authorities assured her she would no longer have to have contact with her father and that her children would be cared for.

On Sunday evening, police said investigators had found the area where Elisabeth and three of the children were held captive. Investigators said the rooms were at most 1.7 meters (5 feet 6 inches) high. The area had a TV and small hot plates for cooking.

In a chronology of events outlined in a police statement, authorities said Elisabeth F. told them her father began sexually abusing her when she was 11. She told police that some years later in 1984, he sedated her, handcuffed her and locked her in the cellar.

Police said a letter written by Elisabeth had apparently surfaced a month after her disappearance, asking her parents not to search for her.

The Austria Press Agency reported that the surviving children are three boys and three girls, the youngest of whom is 5. DNA tests were expected to determine whether Josef F. is the father of the children as he claims.

Sunday's developments recalled another case that shocked Austrians in the summer of 2006, when a young woman escaped after being largely confined to a tiny underground dungeon in a quiet Vienna suburb for more than eight years.

Natascha Kampusch was 10 years old when she was kidnapped in Vienna on her way to school in March 1998. Her abductor, Wolfgang Priklopil, threw himself in front of a train just hours after her dramatic escape.

Kampusch, now 20, issued a statement Monday saying she wanted to contact Elisabeth to offer emotional and financial help.

[renae2626]

People are just sick....Being held captive for 24 years and the other girl being held captive for 8 years, what the heck is wrong with people? Getting your own daughter pregnant.....6 times....what a freak!

[observer2020]

Now this is one very sick puppy. Feel extremely sorry for the daughter and her 7 children! And his "wife" knew nothing about it? Give me a break! She knew!

[olivia361]

Once again, AP, this man did not "have s3x" with his daughter. He raped her.

[ram996140]

look at the guy he looks evil, he should be executed

[baileymcm]

IT''S SAD TO SEE THAT A MOTHER WOULD TURN HER OWN BACK ON HER DAUGTHER KNOWING THAT SHE LIVES IN TORMENT EVERYDAY. THERE''S NO WAY THAT SHE DIDN''T KNOW THAT HER HUSBAND WAS DOING THIS. WHERE DID SHE THINK HE WENT DURING THE PERIODS WHERE HE WAS RAPING AND IMPREGNATING HER. TO PICK YOUR HUSBAND WITH A LIFE FILLED OF LIES OVER YOUR DAUGHTER WHO COULD HAVE GAVE YOU A LIFE FILLED WITH LOVE. DISGUSTING.

[brianbwb-2009]

There are such people even in the US, most have yet to be discovered.

FLDS, anyone?

[clew37]

I like how the jerk said he "didn''t use force" on her while having ***. I''d like to hear his explanation about sedating her to lock her in the basement when she was 18. And I''m sure she just really wanted her filthy father to crawl on her starting at age 11. Kill the pedophile. There have to be consequences for actions. Not just the slap on the wrist most of them get either.

[toolmangler-2009]

there is no way to punish this beast and him understand his evil, so just kill him and get it over with.
anything else just makes us like him.

[wtf1999]

I wonder why he decided to adopt 3 of the kids to live with him, but left the other 3 down in the cellar. I do not quite understand the reasoning there.

At the age of 73, he almost got away with his sick excuse of a life. He deserves to be placed in a cold, dark hole in a jails solitary confinement for the remainder of his life. Just sit there and rot!

[rational_1]

I hope that the authorities make sure this POS "never sees sunlight" again.

There are just some people you really wish you could have some time alone with for a few minutes - just you, him and your trusty baseball bat.

[susieq_13]

What a disgusting freak! I hope he never sees the light of day again. And I hope someone treats him the way he treated his daughter while he rots in prison. SICKO!

[talkingham]

TracyOMorg_idiot should stick her own family up her

[gurusavant]

all the americans who aaah and oooh about how much further advanced europe is...are totally annoying. europe is soooooo ******* backwards- especially the financially strong nations. europeans are all wrapped up in ancient ideal, such as: the man rules! which is why A MAN got away with this. no one will ever question a male, but it wasn''t even 200 years ago, when women were killed or being burned alive for using dried herbs or something ridiculous like that.

[gurusavant]

he''ll get like 8 years of prison. because europeans are retarded and do not believe in the death penalty-because it''s evil and only evil nations like the US do evil things like that. under their laws, this guy deserves to live out his life with enjoyment, because he was just a poor dumb man who couldn''t help his urges. aawwwwwww!!

[caliengineer]

I just feel like... I hope Austrians and people internationally will send money and gifts to this woman. I hope someone will fund her to travel and see the world... make up for all her lost time. I just want to cry.

[brianp55]

The only upside here (albeit minor) is the assurance that not all of the nuts live in the U.S.

[eggy1620]

God%u2019s cruel joke on the human race is that any sick idiot can produce and be responsible for a child.

[acolton1]

The suspect, identified as Josef F.

IS A SICK INDIVIDUAL, I don''t know how the laws work down under but this Sick-O needs some serious punishment for the rest of his life, every day, every hour, some serious kind of punishment. He is a very SICK PERVERTED MAN !

[haoli25]

He needs an immediate autopsy to find out what is wrong with him.

[bestillandno]

Three of the surviving children lived with the grandparents and were registered with authorities. The other three apparently were held captive in the cellar with their mother, Polzer told reporters.

Hans-Heinz Lenze, a senior local official, said the suspect''s wife apparently had "no idea" of what went on and was devastated.


Am I reading this wrong? Where did she think the kids came from?

[headpop2]

"God%u2019s cruel joke on the human race is that any sick idiot can produce and be responsible for a child."

Um, no. Its that children are gifts.

[tadpole39]

Has anyone checked to see if this creap has messed with his daughters kids???

[tyeland3]

i think he needs to die.. horrible things man

[sgtrds]

Libs say its just a "non-traditional" family.

Posted by tracy0morgan at 01:03 PM : Apr 28, 2008

Actually he''s a classic Bush supporter type hillbilly. If he lived in the US he''d be a Pat Robertson GOP boy all the way.

[dmotte]

As they say, the closer the kin, the deeper in.

[prairiefox1]

FROM A COUNTRY THAT SPAWNED HITLER JUST WHAT WOULD EXPECT?

[gwagener]

Imagining the horrible life of the victims makes me feel sick.

[anett2]

Give me a break and also the rest of this story. Saying that Josef wife and he cared for 3 of the kid. Where did mama think these kids come from. Mama is a lying through her teeth. She is just as guilty as papa. Put her right next to her old man in prison and then give the keys to the daughter

[jetlizhan]

***???how on earth could this devil''s wife ''have no idea'' of what has been going on for 24 years - give me a break!!!

[questionnews]

The suspect, identified as Josef F.

IS A SICK INDIVIDUAL, I don''''t know how the laws work down under but this Sick-O needs some serious punishment for the rest of his life, every day, every hour, some serious kind of punishment. He is a very SICK PERVERTED MAN !

Posted by acolton1 at 12:56 PM : Apr 28, 2008


With your "down under" reference I assume that you think this happened in Australia. It happened in Austria.

[ov442]

Maybe instead of asking the nation what is fundementally wrong there culturally, the viennese police should get search warrants for every home where a missing child has ever occured in that nation... and do a very thorough search with the latest search equipment technology.

[jennasmith2]

Looks like Hell will continue to have a steady supply of souls.........

[ov442]

SgtRDS
yer right.
typical Conservative.

Repressed, abused, abusive, perverted, liar, conspirator, outrageous behaving individual that puts out a "normal" appearance outwardly but behind closed doors a monster ripping families apart, doing unforgivable, and unfixable damage

[minnick8-2009]

Regarding: Down Under

This story is out of Austria, not Australia

Regarding: A Never Ending Supply for Hell

I hope there are a lot of souls who burn in hell forever; and I hope I get to strike the match.

[honestabe8]

I don''t know how anyone can make this political. It isn''t a liberal or conservative thing, this is imprisonment and rape. Those making it political are just hoping to take cheap shots at people with whom they disagree

[sverre5-2009]

Libs say its just a "non-traditional" family.

I fail to see how any self-respecting person, liberal or conservative would pass this off as a "non-traditional" family. Doing so implies that one doesn''t have compassion for those facing injustice and harm, in which the history of the new American Liberal movement has proved to be the converse. Keep in mind, the new Liberal movement has supported Civil Rights, assistance to the poor and needy, as well as consideration to the adverse effects caused upon people as a result of war. And the modern conservative movement has encouraged what they believe are morals within society. No self respecting liberal or conservative would brush off this man''s actions as if they were acceptable.

[NMlost]

Just a few things to mention: the daughter has 3 or 4 siblings. As she was abused from age 11, were they? If so, since they are adults and out of the house, why didn''t they report it? Imagine their horror, now. REAL HORROR: the only one who had the codes for the electronic door was the SEVENTY-THREE year old father. What would happen if he dropped dead in the street? The rooms were soundproof and he was the only source of food...

[questionnews]

Doesn''t he look like a Donald Sutherland mug shot after a three day bender?

[blackyowe]

Hmmmm well Austria has some very very strange people it seems! YUCK are these left over nuts from the Nazi years or what?

[hedonist3]

OMG - why must you idiots always bring up politics!?!?!

And, to dmotte: Well, you''re just one sick ***-k.

[boffo1962]

Chilling. It makes you wonder who out there is still waiting to be discovered.

[gwagener]

I don''t know how anyone can make this political. It isn''t a liberal or conservative thing, this is imprisonment and rape. Those making it political are just hoping to take cheap shots at people with whom they disagree
--------------------------
Posted by honestabe8 at 02:04 PM : Apr 28, 2008

I totally agree. People with extreme political views seem to want the other side to be demons. Cannot we agree that differing views on politics and a freak banging his daughter in the celler for years belong in different categories?

[sean7phil]

We need to develop a brain scan to identify sociopaths when they are young. This will avoid the years it usually takes to unmask them, and will aslo avoid the incredible damage that they do to other peoples lives.

[zoroeltoro]

Vote for Hillary, she can put an end to this.

[sean7phil]

We need to develop a brain scan to identify sociopaths when they are young. This will avoid the years it usually takes to unmask them, and will also avoid the incredible damage that they do to other peoples lives.

[questionnews]

I don''''t know how anyone can make this political. It isn''''t a liberal or conservative thing, this is imprisonment and rape. Those making it political are just hoping to take cheap shots at people with whom they disagree
--------------------------
Posted by honestabe8 at 02:04 PM : Apr 28, 2008

I totally agree. People with extreme political views seem to want the other side to be demons. Cannot we agree that differing views on politics and a freak banging his daughter in the celler for years belong in different categories?

Posted by gwagener at 02:28 PM : Apr 28, 2008

It''s not just here either. I was chatting about with chef on cookingclub.com blog about which totilla shells to use and someone just had to break in and start railing about how American farmers are conspiring to reduce corn production in order to bring Latin America to it''s knees.
So some finding gum stuck to the bottom of the restarant table is a good enough reason to go off on a political tirade.

[erasmus81]

"There are just some people you really wish you could have some time alone with for a few minutes - just you, him and your trusty baseball bat."
Posted by rational_1 at 12:30 PM : Apr 28, 2008

I just might agree with you on this one.

[headpop2]

Well, I can''t help but notice the similarity to the movie industry. And that movie about the same thing.. I ferget its name.

Maybe this is all bullshyyyt.

[duffyn]

What a bunch of baloney that libs would call that a non-traditional family. Libs would no more approve of that then they would a connnservative. What a despicable thing the father is.

[headpop2]

What ya have to realize about young people is that their imaginations are in horomonal overdrive.