Germany jails mother for locking up daughter for 7 years

The girl, who is now 11 years old, was locked up for about seven years before being freed in September 2022

A German woman convicted of keeping her young daughter locked up at home for years was sentenced to five years in prison on Monday.

The woman, who had kept her daughter confined to the home of the girl’s grandparents, was found guilty of kidnapping, abduction of a minor and mistreatment of a vulnerable person, according to a court spokeswoman.

The grandmother was given a two-year suspended sentence for the same charges, while the grandfather also received a suspended sentence as an accomplice.

The girl, who is now 11 years old, was kept locked up for about seven years in the town of Attendorn in the Sauerland region of western Germany before being freed in September 2022.

00:14

Video of girl being shoved in Japan sparks online outrage

The girl received neither schooling nor medical care during that time, according to prosecutors, who said the girl suffered severe developmental problems as a result of the isolation.