Fritzl case
| Josef Fritzl | |
|---|---|
| Born |
April 9, 1935 Amstetten, Austria |
| Nationality | Austrian |
| Known for | imprisoning and raping his daughter, Elisabeth |
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment |
| Criminal status | Incarcerated at Garsten Abbey |
| Spouse(s) | Rosemarie Fritzl |
| Conviction(s) | Murder by negligence and other charges |
The Fritzl case emerged in April 2008 when a woman named Elisabeth Fritzl (born 6 April 1966) told police in the town of Amstetten, Austria, that she had been held captive for 24 years behind eight locked doors in a concealed corridor part of the basement area of the large family house by her father, Josef Fritzl (born 9 April 1935), and that Fritzl had physically assaulted, sexually abused, and raped her numerous times during her imprisonment. The abuse by her father resulted in the birth of seven children; four of whom joined their mother in captivity (one dying just days after birth), while the other three were brought up by Fritzl and his wife, Rosemarie, having been reported as foundlings.
Josef confined Elisabeth, tricking her into the basement, when she was 18 years old. Three of Elisabeth's children, born during her confinement, were imprisoned with their mother: 19-year-old (at time of release) daughter Kerstin and sons Stefan, 18, and Felix, 5. Another, Michael, died of respiratory problems three days after birth, having been deprived of all medical help; his body was incinerated by Josef Fritzl on his property.
The three other children were raised by Josef and his wife Rosemarie in the upstairs home. Josef claimed that he had discovered the children outside his house as foundlings: Lisa at 9 months in 1993, Monika at 10 months in 1994, and Alexander at 15 months in 1997. When the eldest daughter, Kerstin, became seriously ill, Josef acceded to Elisabeth's pleas to take her to a hospital, triggering a series of events that eventually led to their discovery.
Josef Fritzl was born on 9 April 1935, in Amstetten, Austria. In 1956, at age 21, he married 17-year-old Rosemarie and they had seven children: two sons and five daughters, including Elisabeth, who was born in 1966. He reportedly began abusing her in 1977 when she was 11. After completing compulsory education at age 15, Elisabeth started a course to become a waitress.
In January 1983, she ran away from home and went into hiding in Vienna with a friend from work. She was found by police within three weeks and returned to her parents. She rejoined her waitress course, finished it in mid-1984 and was offered a job in nearby Linz.
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