Eight-year-old girl held hostage inside room by mom and grandparents since she was 18 months old, finally gets rescued

The youth welfare office and the police are said to have freed an eight-year-old girl from captivity that she had been kept in by her mother and grandparents in western Germany. Since she was just 18 months old, the young child, who was apparently only known as Maria, had been residing in a closed chamber at her grandparents' home in Attendorn. The kid "may not have consciously noticed much of the outside world," said prosecutor Patrick Baron von Grotthuss, according to local daily SauerlandKurier, adding that she was "barely able to walk stairs or overcome bumps in the ground on her own." Maria was reportedly assessed by physicians after being rescued in September, who found no evidence of physical abuse or malnourishment. However, she is reportedly being treated for any psychological effects because she was supposedly held trapped within since 2015. Investigators are trying to determine why the girl was kept locked up by her guardians, which included her mother, Rosemarie G. Additionally, it has been stated that the victim's mother and father split up in 2013, the year she was born. Maria's mother reportedly became enraged when the father started a new relationship and informed him that she was taking the child to Italy.

German girl, 8, freed after allegedly being locked away for most of life https://t.co/H4xGidwGCs

— The Guardian (@guardian) November 7, 2022

According to PEOPLE, who also noted that "another relative then told police that she had visited the house in Italy where Rosemarie G and Maria were supposed to be living and discovered they had never resided there," the man's suspicions increased when "his correspondence to the girl in Italy went unanswered." Police eventually intervened, and on September 23 they discovered Maria after obtaining a search order. She reportedly moved to a foster home after being saved, where she is now receiving medical and psychological therapy. There's a chance her father will eventually gain custody of her. The public prosecutor's office in Siegen has looked into the situation. On suspicion of denial of liberty and abuse of wards, the authorities are interrogating Rosemarie G. and her parents. According to reports, if the mother is found guilty of locking up her daughter, she might spend years in prison. District Administrator Theo Melcher reportedly said, “I hope the investigations will provide answers to the question that affects us all, why the girl was hidden for so many years and why she was denied a 'normal' child life. But I am pleased that the girl was able to be freed from this situation and that she is apparently in good health.” Some people have reacted to the unfortunate case on Twitter. A user wrote, “Such a horrible story, I pray and believe that Maria will grow up to be a healthy, happy, self-confident and self-sustaining adult under the protection of German government.” Another user tweeted, “Lock them all up and throw away the keys.” “There is a special kind of Hell for these people,” another chimed in.