The siblings, a nine-year-old boy and his six-year-old sister, were found to have never been registered with a school or doctor and were completely unknown to the outside world
Two young siblings have been found in heartbreaking conditions on a remote hillside farm in northern Italy – still wearing nappies, despite their age, and only able to speak in their own primitive language.
The children, a nine-year-old boy and his six-year-old sister, had never been registered with a school or doctor and were completely unknown to the outside world or authorities. When horrified police discovered them in Lauriano, near Turin, they were described as “filthy” and completely cut off from society. The shocking discovery was made when emergency services arrived to evacuate the property following a flood warning.
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Officers stumbled upon the reclusive family living in squalor, with rubbish littering the garden and broken furniture and derelict trampolines left to rot outside the ramshackle farmhouse.
The siblings, born in Germany and before later moving to Italy, were removed from their parents by order of the Turin Juvenile Court. The court ruled: “There are facts that suggest that the minors are deprived of adequate assistance from their parents or relatives who are required to provide it.”
Local media dubbed the pair the “ghost children” due to how completely invisible they had been to the system. Their father, a 54-year-old Dutch sculptor, told Corriere Torino: “I love my children, I just wanted to protect them.”
He claimed they had laptops, musical instruments, ski gear and even rode horses and visited museums. But despite insisting he had homeschooled them, the children were unable to read or write.
He reportedly said the decision to raise them in isolation was driven by fears of infection, including Covid-19. Their 38-year-old Dutch mother, believed to be homeless, is said to have shown little interest in the children during the removal process, according to the NL Times.
Mayor Mara Baccolla said: “It is a very delicate matter. These children can finally find a balance and have access to a life worthy of the name.”
She described the father as “very reserved” and unable to speak Italian. Locals said they were shocked to learn of the children’s existence.
Although it was known the farmhouse had changed ownership, no one had visited in years. The children are now in state care as arrangements for fostering are made. It remains unclear whether the parents will face legal action.