Three young boys have been rescued from a ‘house of horrors’ in Spain – where they had been allegedly locked up by their expat parents since 2021.
Their German father, Christian Steffen, 53, and his American-born wife Melissa Ann Steffen, 48, have been arrested and face up to seven years in prison if convicted for various child abuse crimes.
The arrests came following a search of the family property in Oviedo, Asturias, after a neighbour told police they had not seen the three young boys (twins aged eight and their 10-year-old brother) for a very long time.
Officers were horrified by the squalid conditions of the home, with rooms filled with dirty nappies and used tampons stored under the parents’ bed.
The family’s cat was found with a huge tumour, while its excrements were all over the home’s surfaces, it is claimed.
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The property reportedly showed signs of serious hoarding, while the children were allegedly made to sleep in caged beds that had terrifying drawings of monsters on them.
According to German newspaper Bild, the children threw themselves onto the grass outside moments after being rescued.
They were all still wearing nappies and were severely constipated after years of only being allowed to go to the toilet at certain times, it is alleged.
A source close to the investigation told local media that the parents had obtained medication laced with THC on the black market.
It is alleged they were giving it to the boys to treat their undiagnosed and unconfirmed ADHD.
