A ‘missing’ woman has been found ‘days away from death’ after she was allegedly kept locked in a room by her parents in Poland for 27 years
A 42-year-old woman was discovered “days away from death” after she was allegedly locked in her room for 27 years by her parents.
The emaciated woman, known only as Mirrella, was last seen in public in 1998 when she was 15 in the city of Świętochłowice in southern Poland. It is alleged the neighbourhood was told the teenager had gone missing – but nearly 30 years later she was found, having never seen a dentist or a hairdresser.
The alarm was raised in July when police were called to an apartment block back after neighbours reported hearing a disturbance. Deputy Inspector Anna Hryniak told Polish newspaper Fakt that the landlady, 82, denied there being any altercation.
Police spoke to Mirrella who told them there was no issue – but they called an ambulance when they noticed her injuries. Locals have now started a fundraiser to help the woman, with one posting to social media: “Doctors determined that she was only days away from death due to infection. She has been in hospital for two months now due to her critical condition.
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“People who knew Mirella thought she left her ‘family’ home almost 30 years ago. Unfortunately, the truth turned out to be different. Much remains unknown, and several facts cannot be revealed at this stage. One thing is certain: the truth must come to light as to why this young, healthy 15-year-old stopped leaving her home and disappeared without a trace.
“It is unimaginable to spend so much time in one room. She herself says that she has never even seen her city develop, that it is behind in everything, that she has missed out on so many things, she has never been to a doctor, never obtained an ID card, never gone for a simple walk or even to the balcony.
“She’s never been to a dentist or a hairdresser. Her hair and teeth are in critical condition, even threatening her health, so visits to a private clinic are now necessary.” Prosecutor Agnieszka Kwatera confirmed an investigation has been launched.
It comes after a six-year-old girl who was kept locked inside her room her whole life was rescued by police in September. The child, who was found in a state of neglect, was removed from her parents’ care after cops received an anonymous tip about her welfare.
They discovered the little girl in a dark filthy room with only a teddy bear for company. She was found to have been fed a liquid-only diet, and had never been to school, nor taught how to speak.
As a result of her inability to speak, she communicated with child protection counsellors through basic sounds. In addition to her lack of development, she was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection, a blood infection and severe malnutrition. She had not received her infant vaccinations and was found in a state of neglect in the family home, located in the city of Sorocaba in Brazil.