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Austrian 'admits daughter abuse' Austrian 'admits daughter abuse'
(10 minutes later)
A 73-year-old Austrian man has confessed to imprisoning his daughter in a cellar for 24 years and fathering her seven children, police have said.A 73-year-old Austrian man has confessed to imprisoning his daughter in a cellar for 24 years and fathering her seven children, police have said.
Police said Josef Fritzl also confessed to burning the body of a baby that died after birth at the house in Amstetten, in the province of Lower Austria.Police said Josef Fritzl also confessed to burning the body of a baby that died after birth at the house in Amstetten, in the province of Lower Austria.
Authorities are caring for the woman, now 42, and her six surviving children.Authorities are caring for the woman, now 42, and her six surviving children.
Police have released photos of the man's basement which show a concealed network of tiny windowless chambers.Police have released photos of the man's basement which show a concealed network of tiny windowless chambers.
The rooms, covering an area of approximately 60 sq m (650 sq ft), were equipped for sleeping and cooking, and with sanitary facilities. Elisabeth had not been seen in public since August 1984
A reinforced concrete door was built into the wall that separated the "dungeon" from the house and electronically locked. The woman, Elisabeth, disappeared aged 18 on 28 August 1984 when, according to her testimony, her father lured her into the cellar, drugging and handcuffing her before locking her up.
She is reported to have been made to write a letter which made it look as if she had run away.
The head of the criminal affairs bureau in Lower Austria, Franz Polzer, said Mr Fritzl had admitted sexually abusing his daughter repeatedly during the time he imprisoned her.
These children were born into the jail, they knew nothing else Franz Polzer
Mr Polzer said Mr Fritzl had told investigators Elisabeth had given birth to seven children, including twins in 1996, but one died shortly after being born and that he had thrown the body into an incinerator in the building.
The surviving children are now aged between five and 19 years.
The cellar rooms, covering an area of approximately 60 sq m (650 sq ft), were equipped for sleeping and cooking, and with sanitary facilities.
A reinforced concrete door was built into the wall that separated the "dungeon" from the house and electronically locked - the code known only to the suspect, who provided his captives with food and necessities.
Pictures of Josef F's house and cellar Pictures of Josef F's house and cellar
The six surviving children are three boys and three girls aged between five and 20. Three of the children were kept in the cellar with their mother and had never seen daylight, police told a news conference.
Three of the children kept in the cellar with their mother, named as Elisabeth F, had never seen daylight, police told a news conference. The other three children were adopted or fostered by the suspect, after he forced Elisabeth to write a letter saying she could not look after the baby, police said.
The other three children were adopted or fostered by the suspect. KEY FACTS IN CASE Elisabeth reappeared at home after disappearing 24 years agoSix children she says are hers have been found and placed in careOne of the children, aged 19, is seriously ill in hospital Elisabeth's father Josef Fritzl, 73, has been arrested on suspicion of incest and abductionPolice say Mr Fritzl confesses to imprisoning Elisabeth and fathering her seven children class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7370897.stm">Austria stunned by sex abuse case class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7371764.stm">In pictures: Abuse scandal class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7370208.stm">Cellar case timeline
His wife, Rosemarie, with whom the suspect had seven children, appears to have been unaware of the alleged crimes, police said. His wife, Rosemarie, with whom he had seven of their own children, appears to have been unaware of the alleged crimes.
The case came to light when the eldest of the children was taken seriously ill and had to be taken to hospital. The case came to light when the eldest of the children in the cellar, 19-year-old Kerstin, was seriously ill and had to be taken to hospital.
A television appeal by medical staff for the patient's mother was seen by Elisabeth on a TV set in the cellar and she urged her father to let her go to hospital.A television appeal by medical staff for the patient's mother was seen by Elisabeth on a TV set in the cellar and she urged her father to let her go to hospital.
Police arrested Mr Fritzl shortly afterwards and took all the children into care.
"This man led a double life for 24 years," said Mr Polzer.
He said it was incredible that it had been kept secret for all that time.
Both the father and Elisabeth had said no one else had access to the cellar, police said, although they are appealing to anyone with information about Mr Fritzl to contact them.
'Weak boy'
Asked why the captives had not tried to escape before, Mr Polzer said one had to consider the fact that the woman was small and weak and even the eldest boy, now 18, was "a small boy, a weak boy".
"You have to put yourself into the situation of these people," he said. "They led a completely different life to ours, they do not know what we know. These children were born into the jail, they knew nothing else."
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The cellar where 'Elisabeth' was kept captive
Kerstin is said to be in a coma in hospital.
The head of the intensive care unit at the Amstetten hospital, Albert Reiter, said the impact of her experiences would eventually become clearer.
"The connection between the effects of 20 years without daylight, the incest and other illnesses, we will research in the coming hours and days," he said.
The media were told the other children who had been kept in the cellar were in surprising physical health, but very pale.
The region's district governor, Hans-Heinz Lenze, said he had spoken to the five-year-old boy.
"He even told me how happy he was and how fantastic it was to ride in a real car," he said.
ShockShock
The head of the criminal affairs bureau in Lower Austria, Franz Polzer, said Josef had admitted sexually abusing his daughter repeatedly during the time he imprisoned her. Journalist Andreas Wetz, of the daily newspaper Die Presse, told the BBC the suspect's neighbours in Amstetten, a small town about 130km (80 miles) west of Vienna, were in shock at the revelations.
KEY FACTS IN CASE Elisabeth reappeared at home after disappearing 24 years agoSix children she says are hers have been found and placed in careOne of the children, aged 19, is seriously ill in hospital Elisabeth's father Josef, 73, has been arrested on suspicion of incest and abductionPolice say Josef confesses to imprisoning Elisabeth and fathering her seven children Austria stunned by sex abuse caseIn pictures: Abuse scandalCellar case timeline
He said Elisabeth had fought with her father when she was first taken into the cellar, but without success.
Mr Polzer said Josef had told investigators that one of their children had died shortly after being born and that he had thrown the body into an incinerator in the building.
"This man led a double life for 24 years," he said.
He said it was incredible how it had been kept secret for all that time.
Both the father and Elisabeth had said no one else had access to the cellar, police said, although they are appealing to anyone with information about Josef F to contact them.
Journalist Andreas Wetz, of the daily newspaper Die Presse, told the BBC the suspect's neighbours in Amstetten, a small town about 130km (80 miles) west of Vienna, were in shock.
"The man who is said to have done this, they said he was funny, he talked to neighbours, he might be a little introverted, but they had no idea that this person could do this," he said."The man who is said to have done this, they said he was funny, he talked to neighbours, he might be a little introverted, but they had no idea that this person could do this," he said.
The BBC's Bethany Bell says the case is reminiscent of that of Natasha Kampusch, the Austrian teenager held captive in a cellar in a house in a Vienna suburb for eight years, who ran to freedom in 2006. The BBC's Bethany Bell says the case is reminiscent of that of Natascha Kampusch, the Austrian teenager held captive in a cellar in a house in a Vienna suburb for eight years, who ran to freedom in 2006.
While police are not connecting the two cases, many Austrians are asking how such matters went undiscovered, she says.While police are not connecting the two cases, many Austrians are asking how such matters went undiscovered, she says.
The editorial of one of Austria's leading newspapers, Der Standard, said the whole country had to ask itself just what was going wrong.The editorial of one of Austria's leading newspapers, Der Standard, said the whole country had to ask itself just what was going wrong.
Hospital appeal
In a statement issued on Sunday, police said Elisabeth had told them that her father had begun sexually abusing her from the age of 11.
She disappeared aged 18 on 28 August 1984 when, according to her testimony, Josef lured her into the cellar, drugging and handcuffing her before locking her up.
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The cellar where 'Elisabeth' was kept captive
Her parents said they had received a letter in her handwriting a month later asking them not to search for her, and it was assumed she had run away.
During her 24-year imprisonment, Elisabeth gave birth to seven children, she said, including twins in 1996. One of the twins died several days later because it had not received adequate care, the police statement said.
Elisabeth is receiving medical and psychological treatment and her children are in care, police said. Her eldest daughter, Kerstin, is in hospital with a serious illness.
The 19-year-old's admission to hospital a week ago, after allegedly being hidden in the cellar with her mother and two siblings, sparked new interest in the whereabouts of Elisabeth.
After Kerstin fell ill, doctors appealed for her mother to come forward to provide details about her medical history.
Josef then released both Elisabeth and the remaining two children from the cellar, telling his wife Rosemarie that she had chosen to return home, police say.
Police arrested him shortly afterwards and took the children into care, along with the three who had been adopted or fostered.
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