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Daily Mirror
10 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Dad kept 'Ghost Children' found speaking primitve language on remote farm
The siblings, aged six and nine, were found in nappies and were not registered with a school or doctor - but their father insists they had a good life with 'a lot of toys', their own laptops and 'good ski equipment' A Dutch father has spoken out to defend his decision to raise his two young children in complete isolation, claiming he only wanted to 'protect them' - despite Italian authorities describing their living conditions as severe neglect. 'I love my children. I just wanted to protect them,' the 53-year-old told local news outlet Corriere Torino, after the shocking discovery of his two children - aged six and nine - in a remote farmhouse near Lauriano, in northern Italy. He said the children had 'a lot of toys, each their own laptop, many musical instruments, and good ski equipment,' adding they often rode horses at a local riding school and visited restaurants and museums. But investigators paint a very different picture of the children's upbringing. When military police arrived at the property in April to issue an evacuation order during heavy flooding, they found the siblings - named Rayan and Noha - still in nappies, unable to read, write or even speak properly. Neither child was registered with any school or local authority, and were said to only be able to speak in their own primitive language. Italian media have dubbed them 'ghost children' as they remained invisible to both the state and the local community for years. The juvenile court in Turin has since ruled both parents unfit and placed the children in protective custody. The father said fears of infection from viruses like Covid-19 had led him to keep the children isolated. He insisted they had a good life, mentioning visits to restaurants, museums and a local riding school, RTL reports. But officials and locals say the children were effectively hidden from the world. The farmhouse, located near the small town of Chivasso, had been converted into a fully off-grid home, with independent power and water - making total seclusion possible. The children's 38-year-old mother, believed to be homeless, was described as detached and largely absent. Authorities say she showed little interest in the children and was often absent. The case has stunned residents in the region. While some noticed the property had changed ownership, no one had ever seen children - or realised the scale of what was going on behind closed doors. Lauriano's mayor, Mara Baccolla, called it a 'very delicate case,' saying she met the father once and found him 'very reserved' and unable to speak Italian. She said: 'It is a very delicate matter. These children can finally find a balance and have access to a life worthy of the name.'
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Dad of ‘ghost children', 6 & 9, found in woods & unable to speak insists he turned home into ‘bunker to protect them'
THE DAD of the "ghost children" who were found living in the woods and unable to speak has insisted he turned their home into a "bunker to protect them". The language. 3 Picture shows the area where the children lived separated from the world 3 The family's farmhouse was turned into a 'bunker' 3 The two siblings were found in nappies and unable to speak The children's parents never registered them with health officials or schools, with local media labelling them as "ghost children" due to their existence remaining unknown for so many years. The Local media reports on Monday say their 54-year-old sculptor dad and 38-year-old mum are both Dutch nationals. The dad claimed he "just wanted to protect" his children so turned the He told local newspaper Corriere Torino: "My wife and I provide them with everything they need. "They have lots of toys, each their own laptop, lots of musical instruments and their own ski equipment. "They go pony riding at the stables and spend a lot of time outdoors in restaurants and museums." The children's dad also Most read in The US Sun The 54-year-old also reportedly said his decision to raise his children in what appears to be complete isolation was motivated by fear of infections like Covid-19. The children were reportedly born in Germany before being moved over to a town in Turin. Gardai investigating Micheal Gaine homicide conduct searches on Kerry farmland after grim discovery Harrowing images of the ramshackle farm show random broken and abandoned furniture thrown outside and derelict trampolines that had clearly been left to rot. Rubbish was also captured strewn across the garden. The reclusive family was only discovered when cops arrived at their hillside farm to evacuate them after a flooding alert. The Turin Juvenile Court ordered the immediate removal of the children from their parents. It said in its ruling: "There are facts that suggest that the minors are deprived of adequate assistance from their parents or relatives who are required to provide it." The children have been taken into state care while arrangements are made for them to be taken into foster care. During the removal process, concerns were raised about their mum, who is said to have shown little interest in her own kids, It's thought she is homeless, the news site added. Local mayor Mara Baccolla said: "It is a very delicate matter. "These children can finally find a balance and have access to a life worthy of the name." She also reportedly spoke of meeting the dad once and described him as being "very reserved" who was unable to speak Italian. Residents of the town near the farm have shared their shock about the children's existence. Read more on the Irish Sun Despite it being known the farmhouse had changed owners, no one had visited the property in that time. It's unclear if the parents face further action. Twins & brother, 8 & 10, discovered imprisoned in 'House of Horrors' By Rita Sobot and Lydia Doye COPS have uncovered a "house of horrors" where parents kept three children captive since the beginning of the Covid pandemic. A German couple have been The police found three young boys at the Oviedo home - dubbed the "house of horrors" - who are thought to have lived there for four years since the The eight-year-old twins and ten-year-old boy were discovered in horrific conditions - each wearing three The police said the house was full of rubbish and old medicines as well as filthy pet excrement and a cat with a massive tumour. The children were reportedly kept out of school and were forbidden to leave the house. The police found three young boys at the Oviedo home - dubbed the "house of horrors" - who are thought to have lived there for four years since the The eight-year-old twins and ten-year-old boy were discovered in horrific conditions - each wearing three The police said the house was full of rubbish and old medicines as well as filthy pet excrement and a cat with a massive tumour. The children were reportedly kept out of school and were forbidden to leave the house. After several days of surveillance cops were clear that more than just the man they saw coming in and out had to live there. This was indicated by the movements that could be sensed through the few windows that were not closed as well as the boxes of food of the orders that the man brought into the home. The children were barefoot, wearing nappies and still sleeping in cribs. When they wanted to take them out of the building they did not even have shoes of their size as they had not bought shoes for years. The police added that when the children were freed, one of them knelt on the grass and "touched it with amazement".
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Dad of ‘ghost children', 6 & 9, found in woods & unable to speak insists he turned home into ‘bunker to protect them'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE DAD of the "ghost children" who were found living in the woods and unable to speak has insisted he turned their home into a "bunker to protect them". The brother and sister, aged nine and six, were discovered by horrified cops still wearing nappies and only able to communicate through their own primitive language. 3 Picture shows the area where the children lived separated from the world 3 The family's farmhouse was turned into a 'bunker' 3 The two siblings were found in nappies and unable to speak The children's parents never registered them with health officials or schools, with local media labelling them as "ghost children" due to their existence remaining unknown for so many years. The young kids were said to be "filthy" when astonished cops made the heartbreaking discovery in Lauriano, northern Italy. Local media reports on Monday say their 54-year-old sculptor dad and 38-year-old mum are both Dutch nationals. The dad claimed he "just wanted to protect" his children so turned the family's farmhouse into a self-sufficient "bunker". He told local newspaper Corriere Torino: "My wife and I provide them with everything they need. "They have lots of toys, each their own laptop, lots of musical instruments and their own ski equipment. "They go pony riding at the stables and spend a lot of time outdoors in restaurants and museums." The children's dad also claimed he was homeschooling the pair, despite neither of them being able to read or write, local media reports. The 54-year-old also reportedly said his decision to raise his children in what appears to be complete isolation was motivated by fear of infections like Covid-19. The children were reportedly born in Germany before being moved over to a town in Turin. Gardai investigating Micheal Gaine homicide conduct searches on Kerry farmland after grim discovery Harrowing images of the ramshackle farm show random broken and abandoned furniture thrown outside and derelict trampolines that had clearly been left to rot. Rubbish was also captured strewn across the garden. The reclusive family was only discovered when cops arrived at their hillside farm to evacuate them after a flooding alert. The Turin Juvenile Court ordered the immediate removal of the children from their parents. It said in its ruling: "There are facts that suggest that the minors are deprived of adequate assistance from their parents or relatives who are required to provide it." The children have been taken into state care while arrangements are made for them to be taken into foster care. During the removal process, concerns were raised about their mum, who is said to have shown little interest in her own kids, NL Times reports. It's thought she is homeless, the news site added. Local mayor Mara Baccolla said: "It is a very delicate matter. "These children can finally find a balance and have access to a life worthy of the name." She also reportedly spoke of meeting the dad once and described him as being "very reserved" who was unable to speak Italian. Residents of the town near the farm have shared their shock about the children's existence. Despite it being known the farmhouse had changed owners, no one had visited the property in that time. It's unclear if the parents face further action.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
Siblings, 9 and 6, named 'Ghost Children' after being left on farm in nappies
Two children, a nine-year-old boy and his six-year-old brother, were 'filthy' and only able to speak in their own primitive language when police discovered them Two young boys discovered living in shocking conditions on a remote farm in northern Italy, wearing nappies and communicating in a rudimentary language only they understood, have been given a haunting nickname. The siblings, aged nine and six, had never been enrolled in school, seen a doctor, or registered with any public authority. Found on a hillside farm in Lauriano, near Turin, they were completely unknown to the outside world — earning them the chilling nickname 'ghost children' in local media. Emergency services stumbled upon the children while evacuating the property due to a flood warning. What they found stunned them. The children were unwashed, the home was "filthy", rubbish littered the garden and broken furniture was left outside alongside derelict trampolines left to rot in the sun. READ MORE: Inside secluded farm where 'ghost kids', 6 and 9, lived 'completely unknown' Both children were born in Germany and later brought to Italy. Following their discovery, a Turin Juvenile Court ordered their immediate removal from their parents' custody. The court concluded that the siblings had been 'deprived of adequate assistance' and failed to receive even basic care. Their father, a 54-year-old Dutch sculptor, claimed he had chosen to raise them in isolation to protect them from illness, including COVID-19. He told Corriere Torino: 'I love my children, I just wanted to protect them.' He insisted they had access to laptops, musical instruments and skiing equipment. He even said they rode horses at a local riding school and visited restaurants and museums. But despite his claims of homeschooling, the children were reportedly unable to read or write. Their 38-year-old Dutch mother, believed to be homeless, showed little reaction during the intervention, according to reports from the NL Times. Local authorities described the case as deeply troubling. Lauriano's mayor, Mara Baccolla, said: 'It is a very delicate matter. These children can finally find a balance and have access to a life worthy of the name.' She also described the father as 'very reserved' and noted that he could not speak Italian. Residents were shocked to learn the children had been living there at all — many believed the farmhouse, which had changed ownership years earlier, was abandoned. The siblings are now in state care while foster arrangements are made. It is still unclear whether their parents will face criminal charges.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
Inside lives of siblings, 9 and 6, found on 'filthy farm' speaking odd language
The children, a boy aged nine and his six-year-old brother, have been found living on a 'filthy farm', still wearing nappies and only communicating through their own unusual language Two young siblings have been found in devastating conditions on an isolated hillside farm in northern Italy, leaving locals and authorities horrified. Police were appalled to find the nine-year-old boy and his six-year-old brother on the farm in Lauriano, near Turin, which they described as "filthy" and utterly isolated from society. Their shocking discovery was made when emergency services arrived to evacuate the area due to flood risks. On arrival, officers encountered the reclusive family dwelling amid filth. The garden was strewn with rubbish, while decrepit furniture and abandoned trampolines decayed outside their dilapidated farmhouse. Despite their age, the children were found to still be wearing nappies and communicating only in a rudimentary language of their own. It was found that they had never been registered with a school or seen by a doctor, living entirely off the radar of the outside world and authorities. The children are originally from Germany, but relocated to Italy with their parents. Their father, a 54-year-old Dutch sculptor, is said to have chosen a life of seclusion for his family due to fears of infections, including COVID-19. He also alleged that they had access to laptops, musical instruments, and ski equipment and even enjoyed horse riding and museum visits. Yet, despite his claims of homeschooling them, the children were illiterate. The local press has referred to them as the "ghost children" because they have never been officially recognised. After finding them in the grim conditions, the children were taken from their parents following an order from the Turin Juvenile Court. The court declared: "There are facts that suggest that the minors are deprived of adequate assistance from their parents or relatives who are required to provide it." Their father expressed to Corriere Torino: "I love my children, I just wanted to protect them." While the children's 38-year-old Dutch mother, who is reportedly homeless, is said to have shown little concern for her offspring during their removal, reports NL Times. Mayor Mara Baccolla commented: "It is a very delicate matter. These children can finally find a balance and have access to a life worthy of the name." She characterised the father as "very reserved" and noted his inability to speak Italian. The revelation of the children's existence came as a shock to local residents. While it was common knowledge that the farmhouse had new owners, it hadn't seen visitors in years. The children are currently under state care, with foster arrangements being discussed. The possibility of legal action against the parents remains uncertain.
