Incest father on 'boys holiday' as his captives languish in his secret dungeon

London Evening Standard ^ | 29/04/08 | Evening Standard

[killermedic]

What’s with the personal attacks. I am sorry you got exposed for posting a drive by comment. If you don’t want the public scrutiny then don’t publicly post.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Maybe it’s just me but if someone tried to imprison me, I’d fight with my life to get free or plot some way of overpowering him. It’s not like she didn’t have time to think it over."

You could say the same thing about the victims at Auschwitz or John McCain during his POW days. From all I've read, his prisoners were kept on a minimal sustenance diet, so they probably weren't in the best shape. Even if they were physically capable of overpowering him and escaping, I would venture a guess that they were psychologically unprepared to do so.

I agree, I'd fight for my life too, but that's because you and I understand the concept of freedom. As far as the kids go, I doubt they really had no way of understanding what they would be escaping to, or if it would be any better than where they were at.

[metmom]

Yeah, but fighting one person is different than a heavily armed and guarded concentration camp. And yet there are still records of daring and successful escapes from them.

I guess it’s the circumstances and personality. Yes, being in good physical condition would help and the kids really only knew that existence. I’m just thinking that the daughter might have managed something in 24 years. But maybe that’s just me.

[ModelBreaker]

That's an interesting reaction. I have exactly the opposite one. The media will eventually get around to poking into every corner of the kids lives in an obnoxious and intrusive way.

Oprah is just salivating to get her hands on one of them and to thump every last dollar out of faux sympathy. And I bet she succeeds sometime in the next twelve months and thumps a lot of dollars. Celebrity victimhood. Focusing on the kids just feeds our society's morbid fascination with perversity. It's kind of like watching a train wreck. Hard to take your eyes off of and fascinating. But I'm not sure it's a trait a decent society would be encouraging in its members.

I don't think media attention does the kids any good at all. I don't think our "caring" about the kids does them any good either. Maybe it makes us feel better; but I don't see what it does for the kids. I guess it helps that a lot of folks are praying for them. So in that sense it's not bad.

[Joe 6-pack]

"I’m just thinking that the daughter might have managed something in 24 years."

We'd all like to think that if we were in her place, we'd have somehow been more daring or heroic than she seemed to be, but first of all, we have know way of knowing how intimidated, Stocklhome-syndromed, or otherwise psychologically scrambled she had become after being repeatedly raped by her own father over two and a half decades. Secondly, to imply some type of shortfall on her part shifts focus away from who the real bastard and perpetrator of evil is here.

[metmom]

Secondly, to imply some type of shortfall on her part shifts focus away from who the real bastard and perpetrator of evil is here.

I wouldn't want to do that and I didn't mean to imply that she's in any way responsible for being there so long. He's responsible and needs to rot in hell for this.

I guess I just find this situation so incomprehensible....

[Joe 6-pack]

"I guess I just find this situation so incomprehensible...."

As do we all. A person who can make sense of this needs to be watched carefully.

[najida]

Not if her mind was wrecked. I’m surpised she’s not totally catatonic myself.

[Politicalmom]

I don’t know if those are your charts, but if so, in the family tree, the twin was Alex’ twin, not Felix’. :)

[Paved Paradise]

You made an excellent post and I agree with you about this. I just think it’s the nature of humanity to try to somehow understand these monsters or at least see how unlike these monsters they are (i.e. I’m not a monster and when I know all about the monster this will confirm my belief because I have never done xyz, etc.)

I do think we should focus on how to help the victims. The guy even looks evil. I’ve never seen an evil person yet that did not look evil.

[brytlea]

Thank you for posting that. I do think it unfair that the perp always gets the attention and focus and the victims take back stage. I think this is made all the more horrible by the fact that this was her very own father. It always disturbs me when parents do terrible things to their kids.

susie

[1234]

ya forgot to mention those who’ll suggest this alleged ‘victim of mommy abuse’, fitzl, should be a patient in “therapy”....

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thank you for doing all the work to dig up more on the story.

A sad one at that, why do we allow people like this father to exist on earth?

[BillyBoy]

Has anyone heard any updates on this case? How the victims are recovering? I haven't heard any news in almost two weeks

I hope everyone is keeping Kerstin Fritzl (the 19 year old celler victim) in their prayers, PLEASE, because last I heard she's still in a coma, but doctors say she's doing "better".

Here is some little tidbits I could gather on the case:

=====================================================

Condition of ill dungeon victim Kerstin Fritzl 'improving' The health of cellar captive Kerstin Fritzl is getting better, police revealed today.

Last week doctors feared the 19-year-old might die after suffering multiple organ failure and slipping into a coma.

But at a press conference this afternoon officials said her condition was "serious but improving".

Kerstin lived her entire life locked in Fritzl's underground bunker with her mother Elisabeth and two brothers. She is the eldest of the seven children Fritzl had by daughter Elisabeth after repeatedly raping her during her 24 years in captivity.

Her illness led to the discovery of the grim cellar beneath Fritzl's house. The ex-engineer would likely face a murder charge if she died.

His wife, the daughter he admitted raping and imprisoning and the incest children are said to be learning how to live together as they get psychiatric care.

Prosecutors are due to meet Fritzl for the first time on Wednesday or Thursday.

Fritzl's lawyers are reported to be putting forward a defence of insanity.

====================================

Joseph Fritzl's conditions in jail
Bright and clean room and bathroom in Fritzl's prison cell

There was so little privacy in the dungeon the children saw him raping their mother.

The jail bedding is bright and clean - worlds away from the cellar's stinking mattresses.

Prison nutritionists have selected three healthy balanced dishes a day for Fritzl.

His family ate only ready cooked meals with a long sell-by date so he did not arouse suspicions by making constant trips to buy fresh fruit or vegetables.

The most glaring difference is human contact. Fritzl shares his cell with a 36-year-old criminal and last week requested a visit from wife Rosemarie, 69.

For 24 years Elisabeth had no contact with anyone other than her parent and the children he so cruelly fathered on her.

Fritzl's jail companion was specially chosen to ensure he does not commit suicide. A prison source said: "The guy is doing time for violent offences.

"The staff picked him because he's not the sort of man you mess with. He's a heavy thug. He's there to alert wardens if Fritzl looks unstable or if he's about to kill himself. You could call it a kind of in-house suicide watch."

=====================================================

SICKENING that the evil inhuman scumbag gets far far nicer living conditions in his imprisionment that he provided for his victims. Hopefully that will change when he's convicted.

Again, ANYONE heard ANY new on those poor Fritzl kids?

It would be great if people around the world could set up a private charity and provide toys, gifts, letters, and money to show those kids and their mother the love they never knew. I don't even know who to write to in Austria to send a letter of encourgement to the family but this story is so heartbreaking I wish I could.

[21twelve]

Thank you for the post. I was just thinking about them all not 5 minutes ago and thinking “I haven’t heard anything - not even on FR”. I think I could have done without seeing the photos of The evil scum sucking %^$# *&^%4 “prison cell” though.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thank you for the update.

I had not heard any further news on them.

[brytlea]

Thank you for the ping. If you are keeping a list, I would like to be on it, when more news comes up.

susie