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Three children, twins aged eight and a ten-year-old, were rescued from a 'house of horrors' in Oviedo, Spain, on Monday (April 28). Their parents, a 53-year-old German man and his 48-year-old American wife, were arrested and charged with domestic violence and child abandonment. The children had been kept indoors since December 2021 due to a self-imposed COVID-19 lockdown.
According to PEOPLE, the Oviedo Police Department acted after a neighbor reported that the children had not been attending school. Upon investigation, police found the home in unsanitary conditions, with trash, medication, and masks scattered throughout. The children were reportedly living among feces and slept in cribs.
When officers entered the home, the parents placed multiple masks on the children, claiming they were "very sick." However, the children appeared healthy but were dirty and had been isolated from the outside world.The children were unsteady when they first stepped outside and were overwhelmed by seeing sunlight and grass.
The parents allegedly used THC medication on the children, claiming it was for ADHD, though investigators were unsure if the children had the condition. The children have been placed in the custody of the Ministry of Welfare. The parents are being held in pretrial detention without bail and could face up to seven years in prison if convicted.