U.S.-German Couple Sentenced in Spain for Locking Children Home Three Years
Sentencing and Case Details
By Javi West Larrañaga
Background of the Case
MADRID, May 11 (Reuters) - A U.S.-German couple was sentenced to nearly three years in prison in Spain on Monday for keeping their three children locked at home for three-and-a-half years, after developing a fear of the outside world following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Charges and Verdict
The father and mother were both found guilty of family abandonment and causing psychological harm, but were cleared of more stringent charges of unlawful detention. Prosecutors had sought 25 years in prison.
Citizenship and Identities
Both parents are German citizens, while the mother is also a citizen of the United States. They have not been publicly identified to protect the identities of their children: nine-year-old twins and an 11-year-old.
Sentencing and Compensation
The parents were ordered to pay compensation of 30,000 euros ($32,000) to each child and stripped of custody of them for at least three years and four months.
Investigation and Arrest
Police arrested the couple in April 2025 after discovering the children had been living for several years in inadequate sanitary conditions in a house on the outskirts of the northern city of Oviedo, without attending school.
Defense Arguments
Javier Muñoz, the lawyer for the mother, said the children were home schooled, had "a stable family life" and were well fed.
Reaction to the Verdict
Muñoz said the couple, who have been held in preventive custody since their arrest, were "moderately satisfied" with the sentence, but were still considering appealing the ruling.
(Reporting by Javi West LarrañagaEditing by Peter Graff)
