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Parents of twins & bro, 8 & 10, held captive in nappies in Spanish ‘House of Horrors' since Covid face 25 years in jail
Parents of twins & bro, 8 & 10, held captive in nappies in Spanish ‘House of Horrors' since Covid face 25 years in jail

The Irish Sun

time4 days ago

  • The Irish Sun

Parents of twins & bro, 8 & 10, held captive in nappies in Spanish ‘House of Horrors' since Covid face 25 years in jail

THE parents of three children who were allegedly trapped in a hellish "House of Horrors" since the Covid pandemic face 25 years in prison. The three boys were found by cops after parents 7 The parents of three children held in a 'house of horrors' face 25 years in jail Credit: Solarpix 7 German-born Christian Steffen, 53 faces the charges along with his wife Melissa Ann Steffen, 48 Credit: Solarpix 7 The house was full of rubbish and pet excrement Credit: Solarpix The young German boys, two eight-year-old twins and one 10-year-old, were said to have been Each of them had allegedly been forced to wear three Pictures from inside the But despite the piles of rubbish and excrement inside the house it is thought that the two parents were terrified of germs getting into their home. READ MORE WORLD NEWS Referring to the They are The prosecutor confirmed speculation that the children were "locked up due to an unfounded fear of contracting some disease" at the home in the small Asturian town of Fitoria. Authorities also demanded that the parents be barred from ever contacting their children ever again, as well as pay a £13,000 fine. Most read in The US Sun The parents have also reportedly recently filed an appeal against their pre-trial detention - but it was rejected, It was previously revealed that the Connecticut woman who allegedly held stepson captive for over 20 years pleads not guilty The female neighbour, called Silvia, handed cops a 'forensic detective' diary made up of a series of data which showed kids were being held at the Steffen's home. Silvia, who lives just 65ft away from the home, first jotted down claims that she witnessed a little girl playing in the garden. This later evolved into a slew of evidence as Silvia continued to note what she saw going on in the home. They included details of the days and times the curtains on the second floor moved and even when the blinds were opened or lowered. Notes even kept tabs on every occasion the man believed to be Christian left the house to meet delivery drivers or collected food deliveries. She said she never saw a child leave the home or playing around in the time since making the diary. Her suspicions continued to grow after she saw the amount and size of supermarket deliveries which the homeowner was receiving. 7 The children were allegedly forced to wear nappies and sleep in caged beds Credit: Solarpix 7 The boys were saved after four years in captivity Despite only one person appearing to live in the house, Silvia noted that there was enough family each time. At one point, Silvia even claims she started to hear children's voices coming from across the street. After collecting the detailed dossier, the professor handed her notes over to the cops on April 14. They started to investigate the serious accusations and soon discovered nappies were being purchased. This sparked a major search inside the property so police could see what was going on inside shortly before Police would go on to thank Silvia for noticing the peculiar shopping list as they labelled the spot as the key clue which helped them arrest the parents. A city hall source told respected Spanish daily 'The shopping list was the clue that set it all off. 'It was the list of a family, not a single person, and there was something that didn't fit at all which was the striking amount of nappies.' The source added: 'Without that neighbour, the children would almost certainly have gone undetected in that house for many more years." It was also revealed that many of the neighbours didn't even realise that the house was being lived in at all due to how secretive the dad had been. 7 A skull and cross bones drawn on the bed by one of the children Credit: Spanish Police 7 The family's house in Oviedo, northern Spain Since the arrests, cops have spoken out about the horrors inside the home as well as the treatment of the young children. Police who raided the property told local press the youngsters were made to wear nappies and told when and how many times they could use the toilet. The three boys were reportedly told they could only lower the blinds in their bedrooms at 5.10pm each day after being allowed to raise them exactly halfway up the windows during daylight hours. Prosecutors say filthy diapers were even piled up in one of the bedrooms. A shocking paediatric report on the kids later identified they were suffering from 'severe constipation', El Español reports. This is reportedly due to them only being allowed to go to the toilet at specific times. An unnamed investigator Spanish media quoted said: 'The children's parents claimed the youngsters didn't know how to control their bowel movements but the paediatric report has shown that to be false.' Police say once the children were freed one of them knelt down on the grass and 'touched it with amazement'. Oviedo Police Chief Inspector Francisco Javier Lozano said: 'We have given three children back their lives.' German freelance tech recruiter Christian and his US-born wife are both now facing 25 years and four months behind bars if found guilty. They are currently being investigated on suspicion of domestic violence, psychological mistreatment and child abandonment.

Parents of twins & bro, 8 & 10, held captive in nappies in Spanish ‘House of Horrors' since Covid face 25 years in jail
Parents of twins & bro, 8 & 10, held captive in nappies in Spanish ‘House of Horrors' since Covid face 25 years in jail

Scottish Sun

time4 days ago

  • Scottish Sun

Parents of twins & bro, 8 & 10, held captive in nappies in Spanish ‘House of Horrors' since Covid face 25 years in jail

Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE parents of three children who were allegedly trapped in a hellish "House of Horrors" since the Covid pandemic face 25 years in prison. The three boys were found by cops after parents Christian Steffen, 53, and his wife Melissa Ann Steffen, 48, were arrested on suspicion of child abuse. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 The parents of three children held in a 'house of horrors' face 25 years in jail Credit: Solarpix 7 German-born Christian Steffen, 53 faces the charges along with his wife Melissa Ann Steffen, 48 Credit: Solarpix 7 The house was full of rubbish and pet excrement Credit: Solarpix The young German boys, two eight-year-old twins and one 10-year-old, were said to have been found in horrific conditions at the property in Spain. Each of them had allegedly been forced to wear three face masks and wear nappies - and made to sleep in caged beds, a source close to the investigation revealed. Pictures from inside the house in Oviedo showed the boys' bed frames covered in horrifying drawings while they were trapped inside blacked out rooms devoid of any sunlight. But despite the piles of rubbish and excrement inside the house it is thought that the two parents were terrified of germs getting into their home. Referring to the parents, the public prosecutor's office said it "seeks convictions for each of them totalling 25 years and 4 months in prison, among other penalties and measures". They are accused of habitual psychological violence and unlawful detention after allegedly keeping their children locked up from December 2021 to April 2025. The prosecutor confirmed speculation that the children were "locked up due to an unfounded fear of contracting some disease" at the home in the small Asturian town of Fitoria. Authorities also demanded that the parents be barred from ever contacting their children ever again, as well as pay a £13,000 fine. The parents have also reportedly recently filed an appeal against their pre-trial detention - but it was rejected, La Voz de Asturias reported. It was previously revealed that the youngsters were only saved thanks to a university professor's secret diary. Connecticut woman who allegedly held stepson captive for over 20 years pleads not guilty The female neighbour, called Silvia, handed cops a 'forensic detective' diary made up of a series of data which showed kids were being held at the Steffen's home. German-born Christian was registered as the only resident in the affluent home after he started to rent the property in October 2021. Silvia, who lives just 65ft away from the home, first jotted down claims that she witnessed a little girl playing in the garden. This later evolved into a slew of evidence as Silvia continued to note what she saw going on in the home. They included details of the days and times the curtains on the second floor moved and even when the blinds were opened or lowered. Notes even kept tabs on every occasion the man believed to be Christian left the house to meet delivery drivers or collected food deliveries. She said she never saw a child leave the home or playing around in the time since making the diary. Her suspicions continued to grow after she saw the amount and size of supermarket deliveries which the homeowner was receiving. 7 The children were allegedly forced to wear nappies and sleep in caged beds Credit: Solarpix 7 The boys were saved after four years in captivity Despite only one person appearing to live in the house, Silvia noted that there was enough food and drink to feed a whole family each time. At one point, Silvia even claims she started to hear children's voices coming from across the street. After collecting the detailed dossier, the professor handed her notes over to the cops on April 14. They started to investigate the serious accusations and soon discovered nappies were being purchased. This sparked a major search inside the property so police could see what was going on inside shortly before Spain's historic blackout. Police would go on to thank Silvia for noticing the peculiar shopping list as they labelled the spot as the key clue which helped them arrest the parents. A city hall source told respected Spanish daily El Mundo: 'The neighbour had collected evidence that during school hours no-one left the house and expressed with certainty there had to be children living there, and even claimed to have seen them. 'The shopping list was the clue that set it all off. 'It was the list of a family, not a single person, and there was something that didn't fit at all which was the striking amount of nappies.' The source added: 'Without that neighbour, the children would almost certainly have gone undetected in that house for many more years." It was also revealed that many of the neighbours didn't even realise that the house was being lived in at all due to how secretive the dad had been. 7 A skull and cross bones drawn on the bed by one of the children Credit: Spanish Police 7 The family's house in Oviedo, northern Spain Since the arrests, cops have spoken out about the horrors inside the home as well as the treatment of the young children. Police who raided the property told local press the youngsters were made to wear nappies and told when and how many times they could use the toilet. The three boys were reportedly told they could only lower the blinds in their bedrooms at 5.10pm each day after being allowed to raise them exactly halfway up the windows during daylight hours. Prosecutors say filthy diapers were even piled up in one of the bedrooms. A shocking paediatric report on the kids later identified they were suffering from 'severe constipation', El Español reports. This is reportedly due to them only being allowed to go to the toilet at specific times. An unnamed investigator Spanish media quoted said: 'The children's parents claimed the youngsters didn't know how to control their bowel movements but the paediatric report has shown that to be false.' Police say once the children were freed one of them knelt down on the grass and 'touched it with amazement'. Oviedo Police Chief Inspector Francisco Javier Lozano said: 'We have given three children back their lives.' German freelance tech recruiter Christian and his US-born wife are both now facing 25 years and four months behind bars if found guilty. They are currently being investigated on suspicion of domestic violence, psychological mistreatment and child abandonment.

‘A family, dysfunctional, but a family.' Fall River fire survivors process the tragedy, as their next steps remain uncertain.
‘A family, dysfunctional, but a family.' Fall River fire survivors process the tragedy, as their next steps remain uncertain.

Boston Globe

time5 days ago

  • General
  • Boston Globe

‘A family, dysfunctional, but a family.' Fall River fire survivors process the tragedy, as their next steps remain uncertain.

Sitting on a motorized scooter a block away from the living facility where he's currently residing, the double amputee's bright blue eyes shone as he recalled fond memories of the lives lost. Advertisement 'It was a family, dysfunctional, but a family,' Pimentel said. Survivors who made it out of the assisted living facility the night of July 13 are now scattered across the Fall River area and eastern Massachusetts, living in at least 10 living facilities identified so far by the Globe. Most are in and around Fall River, though one resident is staying at a living facility around 60 miles away in South Yarmouth. They are waiting to learn when they will get to retrieve their belongings — and where they will live next. As of this week, all of the displaced residents had been contacted and are in a case management system, Kimberly Smith, the executive director of United Way of Greater Fall River, said before a press conference Tuesday. Advertisement More than 75 percent of Gabriel House residents are enrolled in Medicaid, and chose Gabriel House because it charged less than a typical facility for private-paying patients. However, residents and family members have long complained about living conditions at the House, citing broken elevators, mice, and a lack of fire evacuation plans. The night of the fire, Pimentel said that he didn't see any emergency lights go off. He said there was 'too much smoke in the hallway' for him to leave his room. Quickly, he ripped his second-floor bedroom window 'off the hinges.' A fireman helped carry Pimentel down a ladder. Pimentel remembers watching his prosthetic leg fall off halfway down. Pimentel said he will be at Fall River HealthCare, another assisted living facility, for at least 30 days, but after that, his living accommodations are uncertain. He wants to stay in Fall River because he knows the neighborhood like the back of his hand. When he lived at Gabriel House, he went to the nearby convenience store, and he could visit his wife and his father's graves at the cemeteries. This late in life, he isn't prepared to start over. Officials said when his stay at Fall River HealthCare runs out, one of his options is to transfer to a facility in New Bedford. But he has never lived in New Bedford and doesn't know anyone there, he said. 'I don't know anything about New Bedford,' he said. 'I don't know where the DMV is. I don't know where the bus station is.' He wants to go to the River Falls Senior Living, an assisted living facility that is a fifteen-minute walk from Gabriel House, because of its proximity to his closest friend, Russell Silvia, and all places Pimentel is familiar with. Advertisement He knows Landmark at Fall River is 'expensive' but 'doesn't care,' saying he'd figure out how to make ends meet. 'It's close to everything I need,' he said. Pimentel said he has been leaning on his friend, Silvia, for help. Silvia helped organize the retrieval of his motorized scooter from Gabriel House last week. 'If it wasn't for me putting these sneakers on his feet, he'd still have the ones from the fire on,' Silvia said. In the fire's aftermath, residents are missing items, ranging from sentimental knick-knacks to daily necessities like hearing aids. There has been no official date or time set for residents to pick up their belongings, according to Ann O'Neil-Souza, chief of staff for Mayor Paul Coogan. If people need certain belongings, they should reach out to the mayor's office, she said. Donna Murphy, a former resident of Gabriel House who spent a rare evening away from the facility the night of the fire, has been staying with different family members as her family weighs more permanent options, according to her sister Nancy Jones. Jones said Murphy's granddaughter took a leave from work to care for Murphy, who has dementia and can't be left alone. 'My niece may have to make a decision to either take care of her grandmother, or we're going to have to put her somewhere,' Jones said. The family was never happy with Gabriel House, but it was the only option they could afford. Advertisement Murphy also had to be hospitalized after a panic attack caused by intense survivor's guilt while processing the incident, which injured and killed several of her friends. 'When she finally sat and thought about everything, it just all caught up,' Jones said. 'She was getting herself all worked up, talking about and losing her friends.' Like Murphy, many survivors have been mourning the deaths of the 10 residents, whom they called their friends and loved ones. Since the fire, there have been at least two funerals for the victims. Margaret Duddy, 69, was remembered on Tuesday, and Rui Albernaz, 64, was laid to rest Wednesday. Pimentel's friend Silvia made sure to borrow a van from a friend and drive residents to Albernaz's funeral. That morning, a hushed silence filled the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption ,as the Albernaz family watched Albernaz's casket get blessed. One of the four pallbearers looked up to the ceiling to avoid tears spilling down his face, and Albernaz's sister sobbed silently over the casket. The large Portuguese family, with many of Albernaz's siblings, cousins, and nieces and nephews, sat in the first two rows of the church. About 75 community members sat behind them listening as the priest described Albernaz as a 'man full of joy,' who loved to dance and play scratch tickets and who went by 'Rui, Roy, or Buddy.' At the funeral was Debbie Bigelow, 68, who dated Albernaz for six years. The two met at Gabriel House, and Bigelow 'had my eye on him for a while' before he 'finally came my way.' They'd planned to get married. Time would fly when the two talked, she said. Advertisement 'From the first time I saw him, he was so joyful,' she said. 'He didn't get into fights with other guys.' They played 'action games' together at the facility, like bean bag toss, to improve their mobility, and did arts and crafts. Bigelow said she is doing OK after the fire. Like Pimentel, she is staying at Fall River HealthCare for at least another week, and then, she doesn't know where she will be placed. Bigelow has family members who have been supporting her through the transition. 'I don't know,' Bigelow said about where she is going next. 'I don't know.' Ava Berger can be reached at

Fall River gathers in prayer and generous support for Gabriel House fire victims
Fall River gathers in prayer and generous support for Gabriel House fire victims

Boston Globe

time19-07-2025

  • General
  • Boston Globe

Fall River gathers in prayer and generous support for Gabriel House fire victims

As this South Coast city copes with the heartbreaking loss of life, and the recovery of nearly 30 people injured, the community came together to mourn and support each other. 'This, of course, is an epic situation, so we expect an epic turnout,' Christopher Silvia, owner of Christopher's Cafe in Fall River, said at the start of the fundraiser at the St. John's Athletic Club. Advertisement Silvia joined forces with Boom Squad Radio, other local businesses and the nonprofit Firefighters Wives Association to organize the fundraiser that aimed to raise $40,000 on Friday night. Tina Rogers, a resident whose family home burned down in 2007, said that she understood what the Gabriel House residents have gone through, and what it's like to lose everything to a fire. 'I'm here to pay it forward,' Rogers said. A $20 ticket bought a meal from one of 47 participating restaurants and raffle tickets. All proceeds will go to survivors of the fire, Silvia said. The Firefighter Wives Association has already raised $70,000 through a GoFundMe. 'We're there to help them get back on their feet,' said Sharron Furtado, president and co-founder of the association. Christina Catelli, owner of Tequila Lime Cantina, said her restaurant donated gift cards and chicken fajitas. Advertisement 'This is a tragic thing that happened, and so anyway that we can help, we want to contribute,' Catelli said. The shuttered assisted living facility, Gabriel House, where 9 residents died in a fire on Sunday, July 13. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff Vanessa Garcia, co-president of the National Honor Society at Argosy Collegiate Charter High School in Fall River, was there to serve food. She and other honor society members have been making thank you cards for the firefighters and 'cards of hope' to send to the survivors. 'We always believe that if you give to your community, it will return tenfold, so we really wanted to help,' Garcia said. Holly Raposo, dean of early college programming and career development at Argosy Collegiate Charter School, said they plan to deliver the cards in the next week. 'It's so sad for so many reasons but Fall River really does rally, the immediate response is 'How can we help?'' Raposo said. Survivors of the fire were applauded when EMT volunteers escorted them to their seats and served them their food. Michael Nunes, originally from New Bedford, had only been at the Gabriel House for three weeks before the fire. 'I remember a lot of horror,' he said. James Dixon, another survivor, said his room was at the end of the hallway next to a fire door which helped him exit. 'It was horrible,' Dixon recalled. 'The smoke was so bad, it was two feet in front of you.' Michael Pimentel, another survivor, said he and Dixon are now staying at Fall River Healthcare. 'We're staying in the same room,' Pimentel said. 'He's my best friend,' he said of Dixon. 'He's my brother for life. I couldn't live without him.' Advertisement They were friends before the fire but are more bonded now. 'I'm okay,' Pimentel said. 'It's a lot to process.' A special dedication was made to the nine victims of the Gabriel House fire and honored first responders and survivors. Barry Chin/Globe Staff A mile and a half away at St. Anne Shrine, an estimated 100 people attended a 6:30 p.m. healing Mass. Every other pew was intentionally vacant. Father Edward A. Murphy read the names of eight of the survivors and asked for the nine lost lives to 'be with the lord.' Friday's Mass also was the beginning of a nine day Novena in honor of Jeff Montigny, president of the St. Anne's Shrine Preservation Society, said Friday's Mass was 'dedicated to those who lost their lives and who have been injured.' 'They've lost everything, so we're dedicating this to them,' he said in an interview. The Novena Mass will be held every night through July 26. As the church lights dimmed, Murphy passed through the congregation, placing his hands on each person's head with a blessing. Montigny estimated that over 100 people attended , but said visits to the church had been constant all week. 'There have been people coming by and saying extra prayers for the victims,' he said. The Rev. Edward A. Murphy blessed congregants with Holy Water during a special Healing Mass Friday evening at Saint Anne Shrine in Fall River. Barry Chin/Globe Staff Camille Bugayong can be reached at

Here are six cool, used Japanese performance coupes we found in the classifieds
Here are six cool, used Japanese performance coupes we found in the classifieds

Top Gear

time18-07-2025

  • Automotive
  • Top Gear

Here are six cool, used Japanese performance coupes we found in the classifieds

Advertisement Where better to start than with a 500bhp(+) Integra Type R? That's more than double what it had from the factory, and comes largely thanks to a new precision turbo. Throw a five-speed manual gearbox with longer ratios into the mix, along with an aftermarket limited-slip diff, and it's quite the showing for £14.5k. Advertisement - Page continues below This Silvia may have a 100bhp deficit to the Integra, but it's even wilder. The 2.0-litre four-pot has been boosted with a new stainless steel manifold, different injectors and a HKS intercooler. Thanks to a revised suspension setup and a welded differential, it's a sideways hooligan too - as evidenced by the pictures. You might like If you're after something a little less frantic, here's a fourth-gen Supra for you to mull over. It's the non-turbo nat-asp model, so no 2JZ here. But it's received a few tasteful changes, including a sports cat back exhaust, new coilovers and braided brake lines, among others. It's one of the cheapest A80s on sale right now, yours for just £21,595. Advertisement - Page continues below The Mitsubishi 3000GT is an awful car. It's heavy, it's unnecessarily complicated, and it doesn't have much pedigree. But that's precisely why it's one of our guilty pleasures. Here's a low-mileage example that's ready to go, or, if you've a little time on your hands, this big-winged, yellow-bodied project could be a fun punt. Anyone for a brown R33 GTST for 13 large? It's got positively offset BBS wheels, an in-yer-face wing and a Blackwall Tunnel-sized exhaust that supposedly spits flames. The RB25 six-pot's good for around 260bhp, and the seller has carried out a manual gearbox conversion. Should turn a few heads on the high street. Wildcard: Mazda RX-7 (FD3S) A two-decade-old, rotary-powered screamer from one of Japan's golden eras. The turbo pressure has been cranked up slightly to run on a 'safe' limit of 0.7 bars, at which point this RX-7 will send all of 390bhp to the rear wheels. Looks jolly good, now it's just a question of bringing that £28k asking price down. See more on Used cars

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