Latest news with #SilviaGomezAnson
Irish Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
'I foun horror house with kids locked up in nappies after spotting odd thing'
People often grumble about nosy neighbours who can't seem to keep their noses out of other people's business, but one woman has been hailed as a hero after she alerted the police about unusual happenings in the house across the street from her property. Silvia Gomez Anson spent months keeping an eye on her 'peculiar' German neighbour in the tranquil village of Toleo - nestled at the foot of a mountain in the northern Spanish region of Asturias - according to The Daily Mail. She had been keeping tabs on her neighbours ever since they moved in during the COVID pandemic. The saga kicked off in August 2024, when Silvia spotted what she believed was a young girl playing in the garden next door. At first, she didn't think much of it, assuming that a friend of the neighbour had simply popped over with their daughter. However, a few months ago, she noticed movement behind one of the blinds while the neighbour - who she thought lived alone - was receiving a delivery at the front door. It suddenly hit her that the 'girl' she saw last summer might be living inside the house. This piqued Silvia's interest and she began keeping a closer watch on the property. She noted down every minor detail, including when the father took the rubbish out, reports the Mirror US. She kept track of deliveries of food, medicine and other goods - as well as when she heard children's voices. Gradually, she started to suspect that there were several children living in the house - and they weren't allowed to leave. An economics professor from the University of Oviedo had observed that only the family's father was permitted to leave the house. The man primarily left the home just to collect groceries delivered at the front door - and Silvia also noticed that the family's three children only had their window blinds raised for brief periods. Silvia finally made the tough decision to alert the authorities when she noticed the continuous purchase of nappies, despite the children being eight and ten years old. On 14 April, she presented her 'forensic level' findings to the authorities, who were so taken aback they immediately launched an investigation into the matter. Exactly a fortnight later, the house was stormed by police whose arrival revealed a secret family living in squalor amid 'serious signs of child abuse and neglect'. The vigilant neighbour's long-held suspicions were confirmed after police discovered Christian Steffen, 58, was living with his 22-stone American wife Melissa Ann Steffen, 48, and their three young sons - twins aged eight, and a 10 year old sibling. Reportedly due to 'an extreme fear of Covid-19, they had remained confined inside the home since arriving in December 2021 - during the sixth wave of the pandemic. Their mental state around the lockdown was so prevalent that police were asked to wear masks before entering the dwelling - despite this practice being long abandoned. The couple's sons, who spoke English due to missing years of school wore three face coverings each due to their fear of the disease. Police believe that the children would have suffered for years to come if it had not been for Silvia's detective work. Police uncovered that the household faced unusually high electricity bills, likely a result of running at least six air purifiers constantly – in addition to a steep water bill, hinting at compulsive showering to ward off pathogens, given the house wasn't cleaned as evidenced by its condition when officers arrived. Psychologists speculate that the Steffen couple might be battling "COVID Syndrome." From their first day in the neighbourhood, the family kept to themselves, holing up in their expansive villa – but causing no nuisances, leading most neighbours to overlook them. Except for Silvia, whose suspicions were aroused. Entering the home, police found windows perennially closed and the atmosphere sterilised around the clock by an army of ozone generators. The offspring were found in nappies, confined indoors at all times. Medical checks revealed severe constipation amongst the children, caused by an inability to use the loo. The parents had enforced a strict rule for the kids to use their nappies like infants, resulting in the children avoiding bowel movements as much as possible as a coping mechanism. Christian and Melissa Ann Steffen were under the firm belief that their children were plagued with severe health issues, and feared they would succumb to the coronavirus if infected. In an attempt to prevent this, they cut off their children from the outside world for over three years. During this period, the parents insisted their children wear triple face masks, and restricted them to wearing only pyjamas and sanitary socks. Regarding the Steffen family's relocation to Oviedo, Spain, it was discovered by police that while still in Germany, the parents had requested their children's school to allow them to continue their education without physically attending classes. However, their request was turned down and the school informed the Steffens that the children would be removed from the education system, which would necessitate the school to alert social services. Viewing this as a threat to their lifestyle, the German couple decided to relocate to Spain, leading them to settle in the village. Books used for home-schooling, various board games, and children's drawings - some of which were disturbingly depicting monsters on their wooden beds - were found at the Steffens' residence. The children are currently undergoing medical and psychological evaluations. However, police officers were taken aback by the children's extreme reactions when they were first brought to their back garden. They showed clear signs of panic upon seeing the outside world, having been kept indoors for over three years. Spanish authorities have confirmed that the reign of terror imposed by Christian and Melissa Ann Steffen has finally come to an end. They credited a neighbour's intervention for bringing the situation to their attention. Without her involvement, the couple could have continued to traumatise the children for many more years. The pair now face between five and seven years in prison, although these sentences could be extended if additional charges are brought against them.
Daily Record
16-05-2025
- Daily Record
House of horrors with kids locked up in nappies discovered by 'nosy' neighbour
Silvia Gomez Anson from Toledo in Spain had been suspicious of the family ever since they moved in during the COVID pandemic - and was hailed a hero after alerting police to her fears People often grumble about nosy neighbours who can't seem to mind their own business, but one woman has been hailed as a hero after alerting police about unusual happenings in the house across the street from her home. Silvia Gomez Anson spent months keeping an eye on her 'odd' German neighbour in the tranquil village of Toleo - nestled at the foot of a mountain in the Spanish northern region of Asturias - according to The Daily Mail. She had been keeping records on her neighbours ever since they moved in during the COVID pandemic. The saga began in August 2024, when Silvia spotted what she thought was a young girl playing in the garden next door. At first, she thought nothing of it, assuming a friend of the neighbour had simply been visiting with their daughter. However, some months ago she noticed movement behind one of the blinds while the neighbour - who she assumed lived alone - was collecting a delivery from the front door. It suddenly dawned on her that the 'girl' she saw last summer could be living inside the house. This piqued Silvia's interest and she began monitoring the property. She noted down every minor detail, including when the father took the bins out, reports the Mirror US. She recorded deliveries of food, medicine and other goods - as well as when she heard the voices of children. Gradually, she began to believe that there were several children living in the residence - and claims they were not allowed to leave. An economics professor from the University of Oviedo, she says she observed that only the family's father was permitted to leave their home. The man primarily ventured out to collect groceries delivered at the front door, and Silvia also noticed that the three children of the family only raised their house's window blinds for brief intervals. Silvia made the tough choice to inform the authorities when she noticed the continuous purchase of nappies, despite the children being eight and ten years old. On 14 April, she presented her 'forensic level' findings to the authorities, who were so taken aback that they promptly initiated an investigation into the matter. Exactly a fortnight later, the police raided the house, revealing a hidden family living in squalor with 'serious signs of child abuse and neglect'. The vigilant neighbour's long-standing suspicions were confirmed after the police discovered Christian Steffen, 58, living with his 22-stone American wife Melissa Ann Steffen, 48, and their three young sons - twins aged eight, and a 10 year old sibling. Reportedly, due to 'an extreme fear of Covid-19', they had remained confined inside the home since arriving in December 2021 - during the sixth wave of the pandemic. Their mental state around the lockdown was so prevalent that police were asked to wear masks before entering the dwelling - despite this practice being long abandoned. The couple's sons, unable to speak English from missing years of education, wore three face masks each due to their fear of the illness. Authorities believe the youngsters would have endured prolonged suffering if not for Silvia's investigative instincts. Authorities uncovered that the residence incurred unusually high electricity charges, attributed to operating a minimum of six air purifiers continuously - coupled with an elevated water bill, indicating frequent showers to evade germs, as there was no evidence of the water being used for cleaning given the home's filthy condition when officers arrived. Psychiatric experts have posited that Mr. and Mrs. Steffen might be afflicted with "COVID Syndrome." From the outset, the family maintained a secluded existence. Upon relocating, they began self-isolating in their ample villa - yet causing no nuisances, most neighbours simply disregarded them. However, Silvia was apprehensive that something was amiss. Upon law enforcement entering the premises, it was observed that all windows were sealed shut, and the atmosphere was constantly cleansed by an array of ozone generators. The children, discovered still in nappies, had been confined indoors perpetually. Medical assessments revealed the children exhibited severe constipation due to their inability to access a lavatory. Their guardians demanded that they defecate in their nappies as infants might do - which led to the kids holding back their bowel movements as long as possible in an effort to adapt. Christian and Melissa Ann Steffen were under the impression that their children had severe health conditions, and feared they would perish if they contracted COVID-19. In an attempt to prevent this, they cut off their children from the outside world for over three years. During this period, the parents insisted their children wear triple face masks and only don pyjamas and sanitary socks. Regarding the Steffen family's stay in Oviedo, Spain, it was discovered by the police that while still in Germany, the parents had requested their children's school to allow them to continue their studies without physically attending classes. However, their request was turned down and the school informed the Steffens that the children would be removed from the education system, which would necessitate the school to alert social services. Viewing this as a threat to their lifestyle, the German couple chose to relocate to Spain, leading them to settle in the village. Books used for home-schooling, various board games, and children's drawings - some of which were disturbingly depicting monsters on their wooden beds - were discovered by authorities at the Steffens' residence. The children are currently undergoing medical and psychological evaluations. However, police officers were taken aback by the children's extreme reactions when they were first brought to their back garden, showing clear signs of panic upon seeing the outside world, having been kept indoors for over three years. Spanish police have confirmed that the reign of terror imposed by Christian and Melissa Ann Steffen has finally come to an end, thanks to a vigilant neighbour who alerted them. Without her intervention, the couple could have continued to traumatise the children for many more years. The pair now face between five and seven years in prison, although these sentences could be extended if additional charges are levelled against them.
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The nosy neighbour who turned detective to uncover sickening truth about Spain's House of Horrors where German man and his 22-stone wife kept sons locked away in filth and nappies for years
This is the neighbour-turned-detective whose 'impressive' and meticulous sleuthing uncovered a historic 'house of horrors' in Spain. Silvia Gomez Anson spent months keeping tabs on her 'odd' German neighbour in the sleepy village of Toleo, nestled at the foot of a mountain in the northern region of Asturias. On April 14, the economics professor at the University of Oviedo handed her 'forensic level' findings to the authorities, who were so impressed they launched an urgent investigation. Exactly two weeks later, 15A was raided by police, unearthing a secret family living in a cesspit of filth amid 'serious signs of child abuse and neglect'. Silvia's long-held suspicions were confirmed after cops found Christian Steffen, 58, was living with his 22-stone American wife Melissa Ann Steffen, 48, and their three young sons - twins aged eight, and a 10-year-old. Reportedly due to 'an extreme fear of Covid-19 ', the family had remained confined inside the home since arriving in December 2021 - during the sixth wave of the pandemic. Their lockdown mentality was so ingrained that when police officers arrived at the door they asked them to wear masks before entering - while their sons, who only speak English due to missing years of school in Spain - wore three face coverings each. Police believe the children would have suffered many more years had it not been for Silvia's scrupulous work. It all began in August 2024, when Silvia, who lives at 15B, saw what she thought was a young girl playing in the garden next door, at 15A. She thought nothing of it at the time, believing a friend of the neighbour had been visiting with their daughter. However, some months ago she noticed movement behind one of the blinds while the neighbour - who she assumed lived alone - was collecting a delivery from the front door. It suddenly dawned on her that the 'girl' she saw last summer could be living inside the house. Like something out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie, Silvia began spying on the property at every chance she got. Her large windows guaranteed an unbridled view of the property next door, which was just 50ft away, while her slatted blinds kept her out of sight of the neighbour. In a 'forensic level' diary, she jotted down every minor detail, including when the blinds and curtains moved and when the father took the bins out. She kept tabs on his many deliveries of food, medicine and other goods - and crucially, the times she heard multiple children's voices. After months of observations, she felt compelled to act after becoming convinced that children were being kept inside the home and forbidden from leaving. Police in the northern city of Oviedo found the three young boys – twins aged eight and their ten-year-old brother – in the house on Wednesday In her notes, she jotted down how food deliveries seemed to be for a family, not just one person. Speaking to El Mundo, sources at Oviedo City Council compared Silvia's notes to a professional police report, adding that it was likely she had help from someone familiar with such processes. Silvia did such a good job that when she handed her findings in on April 14, the local police immediately began investigating - a situation that sources said was 'unheard of'. Investigators soon realised that only the father was registered at the address. Adding to their concern, it appeared he had not left the home beyond walking to the gate to collect deliveries. While monitoring the house, detectives noticed one food delivery was far too big for a single person, confirming what Silvia had found during her investigations. But it was the large order of diapers that was said to be the smoking gun, and a raid of the property was launched on April 28. Police would later thank Silvia for her dedicated work. One source said: 'Without that neighbour, the children would almost certainly have gone undetected in that house for many more years.' When approached by MailOnline at her home today, a humble Silvia refused to comment on whether she was a hero. 'I'm not talking about the case,' she said. Plain-clothed police officers later arrived at the scene, which has become somewhat of a macabre tourist attraction. Passersby continue to walk up the driveway to take photos of the infamous 'house of horrors' - despite Silvia having placed a barricade at the bottom of the road. One of the officers told MailOnline: 'She is a bit freaked out by the attention and is not going to talk, especially because the case is still active and making its way through the courts.' He said the Steffen parents remain behind bars but could not comment further. They face up to seven years in jail each if found guilty of domestic and psychological abuse, child abandonment - and potentially unlawful detention. According to reports, only the father was allowed to open the front door. When he let police in on April 28, they discovered the family were living in total squalor. There was animal excrement all over the kitchen floor and counters, while a guest bedroom had become a dumping ground for the children's used nappies. One guest bedroom had become a dumping ground for the children's used nappies. Under the parents' bed were piles of used sanitary pads and tampons, and mounds of other filth. According to Spanish reports, 22 jars of vaseline were also found on the mother's bedside table. She reportedly weighed 22 stone at the time of her arrest. The twins were kept in cribs meant for infants, with police finding disturbing drawings of monsters scrawled on them. On the first floor, a guest room had signs of being used as a classroom for the boys, with officers finding a table, three chairs, human anatomy books and a map of the world. Almost all the blinds of the property were closed, apart from in the children's bedrooms, which investigators discovered were shut every day at 5.10pm. Officers also found four oxygen-purifying ozone generators. The air purifiers, which became popular during the pandemic, were plugged in 24/7. The case has shocked Spain and rocked the local community of Toleo, which until recently, was a relatively unknown village of no more than 200 people. Locals are said to be reeling after discovering the children's alleged years-long suffering. Adding salt to the wound, the litany of alleged crimes happened just a few doors down from a police captain, and opposite a convent, where dozens of locals flock daily to buy the nuns' cookies and cakes. Local Maria Jesus, who lives higher up on the mountain, told MailOnline that she had suspected something was wrong, but never thought to involve herself like Silvia did. She said: 'I once saw the mother walking down the road in a summer dress and flip flops in the middle of winter, they were not okay in the head. 'I think it happened to a lot of people during Covid, the lockdowns and everything really affected some people.' Maria said the village is filled with wealthy homeowners, and that a 'chief or captain' of the Civil Guard lives just a few doors down. 'It's easy to hide here, no one is going to bother you, but it was their strange behaviour that raised alarms,' she added. 'A Mercadona truck would pull into the drive and deliver far too much food for one person, so it's no surprise the neighbour became suspicious. 'But you can't enter a private home without a court order, so she needed to collect evidence and give the police a reason to investigate.' She added: 'I've lived here for 40 years and I've never seen anything like it, it was a media circus when the news first broke. 'It's all anyone has been talking about. It was very shocking, but thank God she (Silvia) did something.' Two nuns who live at the convent across the road told MailOnline that, 'regrettably', they knew nothing of the tenants until reading about them in the press. One said: 'It was horrible to read about, the press were here for days afterwards. 'We never saw anybody in the house and we knew nothing, we assumed it was empty, the front garden is so unkept.' The sister added: 'People here live very independently so it's not unusual to go unnoticed, but it was horrible to find out about it and that it was right next to us.' The only contact the nuns have with the outside world is through the window where they sell their pastries, cakes and pies. Local Marino Guardado has lived in Toleo for 23 years in a home just above that of the Steffens. He told the El Diario newspaper: 'The news is a scandal. In four years I've never seen anyone, not a man, a woman, the children, a dog, or a cat. As far as I could see, there was no one there, and therefore, there was no activity…' He said the grass in front of the house is very tall as if 'no person or animal has walked on it for years.' He said the local community is 'tremendously angry' for not 'doing something for the innocent children' sooner. Postman Julio Luque is one of the few to have met any of the family, having made deliveries to the German father Christian. He said: 'The German was always at home and opened the door for me with his mask on. 'He answered the phone, and I never thought there could be more people inside. No noise was ever heard.' The Steffens had reportedly moved from Germany in December 2021 over fears they would lose custody of their three sons. According to Spanish broadcaster Telecinco, they wanted to homeschool their children, which is prohibited in the country. Allegedly motivated by an 'extreme fear' of Covid-19, the parents moved to the isolated home in northern Spain two months after father Christian signed the lease in October 2021, stating he would be the only person living there. According to property portal Idealista, the pink, 333 square metre property was built in 2002 and is worth up to €480,000. After moving in, the Steffens were allegedly able to inflict years of child abuse and neglect against their three sons, who were forced to wear three masks each and were still using nappies. They were also found to be suffering from extreme constipation after their toilet visits became highly controlled. From their arrival in late 2021 and until their arrests last month, the parents almost never left the house and the boys were never seen outside the home. When they were finally rescued on April 28, at least one of the boys is said to have fallen to their knees to touch the grass 'in amazement'. Christian is a doctor in philosophy, but was working remotely as a human resources consultant. This allowed him to pay for the rent and constant delivery of food and medicines without anyone having to leave the home. A CV posted online by Christian stated that he is only available to work 'remotely', while he described himself as having 'strong empathy'. He also wrote that he is 'open yet disciplined' and has 'perseverance and commitment.' Following their arrests, investigating judge Begoña Fernandez refused to grant the couple bail and stripped them of their custody and parental rights over the three boys. The children are now under the care of the state. Social care minister Marta del Arco previously told El Comercio that the evaluation of the boys shows they are 'doing okay physically', however the psychological assessment is yet to be completed. Flor Gonzalez Muñiz, spokesperson for the Professional Association of Social Education of the Principality of Asturias, added that the parents repeatedly told the youngsters the outside world was 'harmful' to them. The expert has been closely monitoring the case since it first came onto the authorities' radar on April 14. She said the parents began the self-isolation during the pandemic and told the boys they had serious health problems, stocking up on a variety of medications to give them, despite no professional diagnoses from healthcare professionals. Since being freed, according to Muñiz, the two youngest - twins aged eight - are adapting well to living without masks, however the eldest brother, aged 10, is a little more 'reticent'. She said: 'The little ones took them off and were free, but the older one eats and puts it back on… 'It's not so easy to break down the discourse they've received for so long from their parents… children are less aware of the risk the younger they are… so it's normal that the eldest needs to check more than the other two that nothing (untoward) is happening and to gain trust.' The expert said the damage caused to the trio is 'very serious' but 'not irreversible'. She believes the fact there are three of them will help the brothers 'become a close group.' She added: 'They have an opportunity right now; childhood has that flexibility: If you work correctly, even if there may be after-effects, because this is something they will carry with them forever, they will be able to reach adulthood with the guarantee of a full life.'
