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The grandparents' house in Attendorn in the Sauerland region: Here, the now nine-year-old is said to have lived isolated from the outside world for about seven years

Photo: Markus Klümper / dpa

For seven years, a girl is said to have been isolated from the outside world in her grandparents' house – almost her entire life. In September, she was finally freed, and the case sparked nationwide horror. But so far he has not had any criminal consequences.

"We are not allowed to interrogate the girl and the accused are silent," said spokesman Patrick Baron von Grotthuss of the responsible public prosecutor's office in Siegen on request. "That makes things relatively difficult."

As long as the investigation against the child's mother and grandparents continues, no fines will be imposed for any administrative offences such as the violation of compulsory schooling or the failure to undergo medical check-ups.

No medical reports possible

The girl had been freed from the house eleven months ago and the case had become known nine months ago. According to the spokesman, however, there is no threat of a statute of limitations. The girl could still decide to testify after reaching the age of majority and get the proceedings going again, should it not be completed by then.

Previously, the »Neue Rhein/Ruhr Zeitung« had reported on the status.

The physical impairments of the child have improved in the meantime, it is said. The then eight-year-old child had found it difficult to climb stairs.

The investigators are not only not allowed to interrogate the child, but also not to have it examined by a medical expert. For both, the consent of the supplementary nurse is missing, said the authority spokesman. The supplementary guardian, a lawyer, is supposed to protect the best interests of the child.

After all, the attending physicians had been released from the duty of confidentiality. "At some point we have to draw a conclusion as to whether it is enough for an indictment. We are not at the end yet, there are still pending medical opinions," said the spokesman. The child is currently living in foster care.

Second proceedings against former youth welfare office employee

In a separate investigation, a former youth welfare office employee is being investigated in the matter. The woman in charge at the time, who is now retired, is said to have not followed up on clues to the girl's fate or not consistently enough. Interrogations are still pending in the proceedings.

The case had caused nationwide horror. The child is said not to have left his grandparents' house until he was eight years old. The mother had claimed to have emigrated to Italy in 2015.

The Youth Welfare Office is said to have received anonymous letters several times since 2020 pointing to the child. It was not until June 2022, almost two years after the first letter, that there was movement in the case: A married couple reported to the Youth Welfare Office, which had learned about the girl in a roundabout way and gave concrete information. The youth welfare office asked in Italy whether the girl with her mother really lives there. Eight weeks later, the answer came from there: no.

Information to be followed up more closely in the future

The police finally stormed the house of the child's grandparents on September 23, 2022 with a court order: the eight-year-old slept in it with her mother in a shared room. Investigators believe that the girl was not allowed to leave the house for almost her entire life, about seven years.

The mother and grandparents are being investigated for deprivation of liberty and the youth welfare office employee for bodily injury in office by omission. The district youth welfare office had already admitted that the procedural standards for child protection had "not been fully complied with". In the future, any indication of a threat to the welfare of the child should be subject to the principle of dual control.

ZOB/DPA