A German court has sentenced a woman to five years in prison for keeping her young daughter locked inside a house for several years.
Authorities said the woman confined the child in her grandparents’ home in Attendorn, a town in the Sauerland region of western Germany.
The court found the woman guilty of kidnapping, abduction of a minor, and mistreatment of a vulnerable person. Prosecutors said she isolated the girl for about seven years before authorities rescued her in September 2022.
The girl, now 11, did not attend school or receive medical care during that period, prosecutors said the prolonged isolation caused severe developmental problems.
The child’s grandmother received a two-year suspended sentence, while the grandfather also received a suspended term for assisting in the crime.
According to the indictment, the mother fabricated a story that she had moved to Italy with her daughter and also cut off all contact between the child and her father.
Residents expressed shock after the case emerged, one local told public broadcaster ARD that the family lived within the community and that no one suspected the situation.
Reports also indicated that the mother attempted suicide at the start of the trial, which began earlier this year after several delays.
The case has raised serious concerns about child welfare monitoring and the ability of authorities and communities to detect prolonged abuse.
Officials continue to review the circumstances surrounding the case as part of broader efforts to prevent similar incidents.
