British youth locked in box-room for two years by his father without food or water
British youth locked in box-room for two years by his father without food or water
POLICE in the Greater Madrid region have arrested a man who kept his teenage son locked in a box-room in the family home for two years.
When they released the 19-year-old, he was found to be dehydrated, malnourished and disoriented, very underweight and with cuts and bruises from having been beaten several times a day by his father.
Police had to carry the young man out of the house wrapped in a blanket, and say he weighed little over six stone (38 kilos).
His room was infested with rats and cockroaches, officers say.
The family is of Indian origin, but have British citizenship.
His father is said to have 'responded violently' when the police got involved.
The young man had managed to send an email to the 'women and family assistance' unit of the National Police, via atencionfamiliaymujer@policia.es, giving his sister's email address and phone number.
He allegedly wrote, in broken Spanish: "Rescue. Assistance. Help me. I am desperate."
The email continued: "My father abuses me. I am prisoner. Please, do not contact me because he would kill me."
His sister was contacted, and once officers confirmed the authenticity of the plea for help, went to her brother's home in Rivas Vaciamadrid.
The house has barred windows, wooden and aluminium shutters, meaning the youth had no way of escaping, and his room - as well as all the other rooms - were found to be full of junk, including broken furniture and full bags of rubbish piled so high it was impossible to move around.
And the young captive was hardly given any food, and had his access to tap water heavily rationed by his father.
Police have since found that the father has caused problems in the neighbourhood due to 'strange obsessions' and 'possible mental illness'.
He is said to have been convinced his neighbours were poisoning his water supply and producing dangerous radiation waves focused in his direction.
The accused even believed he was being 'persecuted by the Russian mafia'.
Despite all this, after his arrest he was released with charges rather than being taken to a psychiatric unit or held in custody.
His son was given medical treatment on site, and is now living with his mother and sister.
