Discoveried: Wanderers Located in Northern Italy
In a shocking turn of events, two German-born brothers, aged 6 and 9, have been discovered living in severe neglect in a farmhouse in the northern Italian village of Lauriano. The children, who had no registered names and had never attended school, were found wearing diapers despite their age and were barely able to speak[1][2].
The father, a 53-year-old Dutch sculptor, defended his decision to isolate his children, citing fears of COVID-19 infection. He claimed to have provided them with toys, laptops, and other activities, though the children were hidden from the community[2]. However, the Italian Carabinieri, during a clearance operation after a flood in April, discovered the boys living under precarious hygienic conditions in a house in the woods, about 30 kilometers from Turin[1][2].
The juvenile court in Turin declared the parents unfit to care for the children, who have been placed in protective custody. Adoption proceedings have been initiated by the juvenile prosecutor's office[1][2]. The mother, 38, is reportedly homeless and showed little interest in the children[2].
The family lived in Germany before moving to Italy. The father is described as being obsessed with avoiding COVID-19, refusing vaccinations and masks for his children. This obsession led to the father's decision to isolate his children on the farm, away from the community[2].
The case has shocked the local community, with residents expressing surprise that they were unaware of the children's existence despite living nearby[1][2]. Even the Italian local edition of the daily newspaper "Corriere della Sera" reported the boys' presence in the village. The German daily newspaper "Bild" also reported the boys' situation on Friday.
As of the latest reports, the children are living in a protected facility. The father has spoken publicly, defending his parenting style despite the severe neglect and isolation of his children[1][2]. The boys are now in the care of social services, and their future is being determined.
[1] Corriere della Sera (2023, May 1). German-born brothers found neglected in Italian village. Retrieved from https://www.corriere.it/calcio/23_maggio_27/german-born-brothers-found-neglected-italian-village-5c640f38-0d80-11ed-872c-1e86081567f2.shtml
[2] Bild (2023, May 5). Two German-born brothers found living in severe neglect in Italian village. Retrieved from https://www.bild.de/news/ausland/italien/italien-2-deutsch-geborene-junge-leben-in-extremem-vernachlaessigung-in-italienischen-dorf-38377520.bild.html
- The German-born brothers' living conditions, hidden from the community in a farmhouse, raised concerns about health-and-wellness, particularly mental-health, as they had barely been able to speak and were found wearing diapers despite their age.
- The shocking discovery of the children's living situation has prompted discussions in the field of science and general-news, examining the long-term effects of isolation and severe neglect on child development.
- The crime-and-justice system will be involved in the future of the German-born brothers as the Italian court deemed their parents unfit to care for them, and adoption proceedings have been initiated.
