In April of 2008, a woman went outside. It was an international incident.
That woman was Elisabeth Fritzl, daughter of Josef Fritzl, and mother to seven of his children through rape.
The story that was told was so harrowing and demented it shocked the world to its core.
It was revealed that she had been kept in dungeon-like conditions and was abused for more than 24 years by her father.
And he got away with it for nearly three decades of her life, forcing her to have and raise multiple children of his in a secret room built into the basement of their traditional Lower Austrian home.
Her ordeal is not for the faint of heart. She suffered in silence, unknown to the world, and did not see the sun for 24 years straight.
Though she is now released and her father imprisoned, she remains imprisoned by her torture memories.
10 /10 The Hidden Daughter
Elisabeth was born in 1966 to her father Josef and mother, Rosemarie. She was one of four daughters and three sons they had.
When she was 11, her father started to abuse her and continued for years. Eventually, she tried to run away with a friend to Vienna before getting brought back by police.
She was locked away in the fall of 1984 when Josef knocked her unconscious in the main basement with a soaked rag. When she awoke, she was in her cell.
9 /10 Cellar Dungeon
Josef built the hidden extension under his house about four years before imprisoning his daughter. At some point along the way, he solidified his plans completely and began constructing beyond what his building permits allowed.
He hid the dungeon behind walls and created sliding doors operated by hidden electronic locks.
Overall, the captivity area contained three cells, a rudimentary kitchen, and a toilet, all connected to the house’s utilities. It was livable, just enough for his sick needs.