Fair Proxy Web

‘House of Horror’ children never saw daylight

AMSTETTEN, Austria (CNN) — Three children freed from a cellar in which their mother had been imprisoned and raped by her own father for 24 years had never seen daylight, police in Austria have confirmed.

Police spokesman Franz Polzer told CNN that 73-year-old Josef Fritzl admitted holding his daughter, Elisabeth Fritzl, 42, hostage in the windowless cell and fathering seven children by her.

The mother had memories [of the outside world] and got used to the situation, Polzer told a press conference Monday afternoon. The others knew nothing else.

The main question reverberating from the small Austrian town: how could a man keep his daughter locked in his basement for 24 years, where she gave birth to seven of his children while her mother and three of those children lived upstairs without an inkling of the horrors in the cellar?

Fritzl explained Elisabeth’s disappearance by saying she had run away from home, a story backed up by letters he forced Elisabeth to write, including one that begged her parents not to look for her.

Other letters made it seem the missing daughter had left the three children on the parents’ doorstep — when in fact they had been born in captivity in the family’s basement.

Elisabeth told police that she and her three children Kerstin, 19; Stefan, 18; and Felix, 5, did not see the light of day during their entire time in captivity underneath the building in Amstetten, a rural town about 150 km (93 miles) west of Vienna.

Elisabeth is described as very disturbed and having trouble talking to police about her ordeal, reports CNN correspondent Fred Pleitgen. She went missing in 1984, when she was 18 years old, police have said.

More details also emerged at the news conference about the basement dungeon in which the daughter and her children were kept — and how her father managed to keep them captive for more than two decades. See inside the cellar prison

The authorities have revealed that the prison, constructed in the basement of the 1960s building, ran underneath both the building itself and the garden outside.

The entrance was via a small door, hidden behind cupboards in the basement, controlled by an electronic keyless-entry system. Polzer said that the prison was hard to find, even if someone was looking for it, and had been soundproofed.

Even though they shouted and called they were not in a position to let anyone hear them, Polzer told the press conference.

Polzer said that Fritzl made clear to his wife and other children that the area was out of bounds and they were not to go into the basement. He bought food and took it to his captives in the evening.

Detectives made the grim discovery about the cellar earlier this month after Kerstin was hospitalized in Amstetten after falling unconscious and taken to a hospital in Amstetten by her grandfather with a SOS note from her mother hidden on her.

A DNA test was later carried out which revealed her grandfather, Josef Fritzl, was also her father, according to ORF, Austria’s state-run news agency.

That sparked a police investigation, which revealed that Fritzl fathered at least six children with his daughter, forcing her and three of the surviving children to live in the cellar of his house, according to ORF’s Peter Schmitzberger. Watch police describe the captives’ jail

On Sunday, police searched the hidden rooms where Fritzl admitted he kept his daughter and their children, including sleeping quarters, a kitchen and a bathroom, which Fritzl told police he built, Polzer said.

Amstetten police say they were put on Fritzl’s trail following an anonymous tip off. They apprehended the pair on Saturday near the hospital and once police assured the daughter that she would never have contact with her father again, she was able to tell the whole story, Schmitzberger said.

Elisabeth said her father began sexually abusing her at age 11. On August 8, 1984 — weeks before she was reported missing — her father enticed her into the basement, where he drugged her, put her in handcuffs and locked her in a room, she told police.

For the next 24 years, she was constantly raped by her father, resulting in the six surviving children, she said, according to the police statement.

She also told police she gave birth to twins in 1996, but one of the babies died a few days later as a result of neglect, and Fritzl removed the infant’s body and burned it in an oven.

She told police that only her father supplied her and her children with food and clothing, and that she did not think his wife knew anything about their situation

Fritzl lived upstairs with his wife, Rosemarie, who police said had no idea about her husband’s other family living in the cellar. The couple adopted three of the children that Fritzl had with his daughter, according to police. He told his wife that his missing daughter had dropped the unwanted children off at the house because she could not take care of them, police said.

When Kerstin fell ill, Fritzl apparently told his wife and the hospital that his missing daughter had dropped off the sick girl on his doorstep.

In an effort to find out about Kerstin’s condition, the hospital and police asked the media to put out a bulletin requesting any information about the girl or her missing mother, attorney general Gerhard Sedlacek told NTV.

Sometime later, Fritzl brought Elisabeth out of the cellar, telling his wife that she had returned home with her two children after a 24-year absence, police said.

He took Elisabeth to the hospital to talk with doctors about Kerstin’s condition, and at that point, authorities became aware of her situation, Sedlacek said.
found here.

Tsvangirai: Mugabe must concede defeat

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) — Zimbabwe’s opposition leaders declared Monday that the country’s opposition has won control of parliament for the first time in history — and that President Robert Mugabe must concede defeat.

Putting months of bickering behind them, opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara stood united to order Mugabe to step aside.

In a parliamentary democracy, the majority rule, Tsvangirai said alongside Mutambara at a news conference in South Africa. He should concede that … he cannot be president.

More than a month after the elections, results from the presidential race have not been announced.

Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, maintains that he won the presidency outright — although independent observers say he fell just short of the votes needed to avoid a runoff.

Tsvangirai reiterated Monday that he would not take part in a runoff.

The question about a runoff doesn’t arise. It doesn’t arise because of the simple fact that the people have spoken, the people have decided, he said.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has been conducting a recount of 23 parliamentary seats from the March 29 elections.

Officials announced last weekend that recounts of 18 of 23 disputed parliamentary seats left initial results unchanged — enough to confirm opposition’s seizure of control of parliament from Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party for the first time since Zimbabwe gained independence from Britain in 1980.

Results of the final five disputed seats had been expected to be announced Monday, but there was no mention of the final count — and no word on when the presidential results would be released.

The two opposition leaders celebrated the results and said they have put past rivalry between them aside.

We are here to … say there will be no divisions among ourselves, Mutambara said. We are all going to work together in case Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF try to sabotage the will of the people.

We are in control of parliament. We are also controlling the senate. This is the state of affairs in our country, he said.

Tsvangirai said that the Movement for Democratic Change wants to work with former Finance Minister Simba Makoni, the third presidential candidate. He said the MDC also would also approach sympathetic ZANU-PF lawmakers to see if they would cross party lines.
found here.

‘House of Horrors’ father confesses

AMSTETTEN, Austria (CNN) — A 73-year-old man has confessed to holding his daughter captive in his home cellar for nearly 24 years and fathering seven children by her, Austrian police say.

Austrian police spokesman Franz Polzer told CNN, the man, known as Mr. F., admitted holding his daughter hostage in a windowless cell in the basement of his home for more than two decades.

Mr. F. also told police that one of the children he fathered with his daughter Elisabeth F. was a twin who died.

The dead baby’s body was burned in an oven inside the house, Mr. F. told detectives.

He was making an extended confession to investigators Monday, according to Polzer.

Further DNA tests will now be carried out to confirm fatherhood, Polzer said.

Elisabeth F., 42, is described as very disturbed and having trouble talking to police about her ordeal, reports CNN correspondent Fred Pleitgen.

She went missing in 1984, when she was 18 years old, police said at a news conference Sunday.

The situation came to light earlier this month after her daughter — a 19-year-old woman, identified as Kristen F. — was hospitalized in Amstetten after falling unconscious, according to police.

She was admitted to a hospital in Amstetten, outside Vienna, by her grandfather with a note from her biological mother requesting help. Amstetten is a rural town about 150 km (93 miles) west of Vienna.

But police said a DNA test later revealed her grandfather, Mr. F., was also her father, according to ORF, Austria’s state-run news agency.

That sparked a police investigation, which revealed that Mr. F. may have fathered at least six children with his daughter, forcing her and three of the surviving children to live in the cellar of his house, according to ORF’s Peter Schmitzberger.

The children are now between 5 and 19 years old.

Polzer told ORF that the 73-year-old led police to several hidden rooms in his cellar accessible only by an electronic passcode that he provided to police. Watch a report on the discovery

On Sunday, police searched the hidden rooms where Mr. F. admitted he kept his daughter and their children, Polzer told ORF.

The rooms included sleeping quarters, a kitchen and a bathroom, which Mr. F. told police he built, Polzer said.

Conditions in the 50-60 square meters cellar were described as very dark, narrow and damp, reports Pleitgen.

Kerstin, 19; Stefan, 18; and Felix, 5, remained locked in the basement with their mother, according to police. None had seen the light of day during their entire time in captivity, she told police.

Shocked residents of the neighborhood — a tidy, middle-class district of homes — said there were no indications of the horrors taking place in the house.

The suspect was friendly — that’s why this is so unbelievable, said Franz Redl, 56, who owns a shop across the street. I’m sure the authorities did all they could. He planned everything so perfectly, he told The Associated Press.

While a woman identified as Gabriele H. told Austria’s Kurier newspaper she thought Mr. F. was a devoted grandfather doing his best to look after his abandoned grandchildren.

One who looks after their grandchildren whilst their mother just ran away. We were all asking ourselves what kind of mother would do that to their children?, she said.

Another local, Berhard E , who lives opposite the family, told Kurier: I am appalled, this is unimaginable and simply not comprehensible.

Mr. F. and I grew up together said Erika Manhalter who lives a few meters away from their house. We thought this would be a family just like others, but you cannot look through people, she told Kurier.

News of the cellar captivity case has also prompted much soul searching in a country still reeling from the 2006 case of teenager Natascha Kampusch, who was kidnapped and imprisoned in a basement cell outside Vienna.

Kampusch was 10 years old when she was kidnapped in Vienna on her way to school in March 1998. She was held for more than eight years by Wolfgang Priklopil, who later killed himself when Natascha escaped.

How is it possible that no one has ever heard or seen anything? Der Standard newspaper asked.

What does it say about the neighbors, relatives, family and friends, but also those who had to deal officially with the family? How could he have been successful keeping people fooled?

The entire nation must ask itself just what is fundamentally going wrong, the paper said in a commentary.

Amstetten police say they apprehended Mr. F. and Elisabeth F. on Saturday near the hospital for questioning, after receiving a confidential tip. Once police assured the daughter that she would never have contact with her father again, she was able to tell the whole story, Schmitzberger said.

Mr. F. lived upstairs with his wife, Rosemarie F., who police said had no idea about her husband’s other family living in the cellar.

Mr. F. and Rosemarie F. had adopted three of the children that he had with his daughter, according to police. He told his wife that his missing daughter had dropped the unwanted children off at the house because she could not take care of them, police said.

After she was detained Saturday, Elisabeth F. gave police a psychologically and physically disturbed impression, police said in a statement.

She said her father began sexually abusing her at age 11. On August 8, 1984 — weeks before she was reported missing — her father enticed her into the basement, where he drugged her, put her in handcuffs and locked her in a room, she told police. For the next 24 years, she was constantly raped by her father, resulting in the six surviving children, she said, according to the police statement.

She also told police she gave birth to twins in 1996, but one of the babies died a few days later as a result of neglect, and Mr. F. removed the infant’s body and burned it.

She told police that only her father supplied her and her children with food and clothing, and that she did not think his wife knew anything about their situation.

When Kerstin fell ill earlier this month, Mr. F. apparently told his wife and the hospital that his missing daughter had dropped off the sick girl on his doorstep.

In an effort to find out what might be ailing 19-year-old Kerstin, the hospital asked the media to put out a bulletin requesting any information about the girl or her missing mother, attorney general Gerhard Sedlacek told NTV.

Sometime later, Mr. F. brought Elisabeth F. out of the cellar, telling his wife that she had returned home with her two children after a 24-year absence, police said.

He took Elisabeth F. to the hospital to talk with doctors about Kerstin’s condition, and at that point, authorities became aware of her situation, Sedlacek said.
found here.

Wildfires force Californians from homes

SIERRA MADRE, California (CNN) — A 400-acre wildfire raging through dry brush and shrubs in Southern California was about 30 percent contained by Sunday afternoon, an official said.

Winds are very favorable right now, they’re very light, humidity was up today at about 20 percent, said Marc Peebles, of the Southern California Incident Management team, which has assumed control of fighting the blaze in Sierra Madre’s mountains.

Hopefully, the weather’s going to hold, Peebles said at a Sunday afternoon news conference.

Authorities ordered about 1,000 people to flee their homes Sunday, and Peebles said all Sierra Madre schools would be closed Monday.

The fire is running way out in the Angeles National Forest — that’s where we’re having a problem engaging the fire safely, Tim Davis, of U.S. National Forestry Service, said at the news conference. Watch firefighters battle the blaze

Among those forced to leave Sunday was a wedding party of about 50 people who woke up the morning after the nuptials to find search-and-rescue officials telling them to evacuate.

It was sort of shocking. I didn’t think that we were going to have to be airlifted out, the bride, Julie Grady, told CNN.

One firefighter battling the blaze had a minor injury to his knee, and was treated at a hospital and released, Los Angeles County fire officials said. Otherwise, there have been no reports of injuries.

Peebles said he hoped firefighters could fully contain the fire in four days to a week, depending on weather conditions.

No homes have been destroyed, though some are threatened as the blazes spread, causing the mandatory evacuation orders for about 400 houses, fire officials said. However, Davis said that most of the risks [to the structures] are being removed.

City Manager Elaine Aguilar said one gardening shed was destroyed.

We don’t know what started the fire. But we do know that it wasn’t some natural cause such as lightning or something like that. We do know that it was man-made, she told CNN Sunday Morning.

About 500 firefighters were working to battle the blaze, Davis said. City spokeswoman Elisa Weaver said earlier that the firefighters were receiving air support from two helicopters and three water tankers. Aircraft would operate until dark, Peebles said. Watch the march of a wind-driven wildfire

Separately, in San Diego, a 50-acre fire burned in what fire officials described as open space. Officials said the fire was not threatening homes and there were no calls for evacuations.

The blaze in Sierra Madre began Saturday in an area that has not seen fires in more than 30 years, which means it has a great deal of kindling — such as dry brush and shrubs — to fuel the flames, Aguilar told CNN. And the terrain is rugged, hampering firefighters’ efforts. The hot weather — with temperatures in the mid-90s by midday — added to the challenge.

A shelter was opened for those forced from their homes, fire officials said. Aguilar told CNN about 30 to 40 people spent the night at one shelter, a local senior center.

Aguilar called on residents to heed the warnings of public safety personnel. Some roads are very narrow and must remain clear for safety personnel to make it into the area, she said.

Sierra Madre is in Los Angeles County, about 13 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles.

For the wedding party, the situation came as a surprise.

The groom, Ken Grady, told CNN, We were going to do it Labor Day weekend when the fire danger is high. So we thought, ‘April, no problem.’ Obviously, fire danger is high all the time in Southern California. Watch the couple talk about their eventful weekend

After the wedding Saturday afternoon, We did smell some smoke and were informed of the fire last night, Bride Julie Grady told CNN on Sunday. She added that the group didn’t realize, I guess, how bad the danger was until this morning, when search and rescue came up to the camp and started evacuating us.

Ken Grady said the officials got a little nervous energy going around the whole group, but all reached safety. It was exciting — and a little nerve-wracking, he said.

Mary Jo Sokolowski, Julie Grady’s sister, called it quite an adventure.

As for the happy couple, she said, They’re doing good, and it definitely made it quite, you know, a great memory, actually.
found here.

Wildfires force Californians from homes

SIERRA MADRE, California (CNN) — A 400-acre wildfire raging through dry brush and shrubs in Southern California was about 30 percent contained by Sunday afternoon, an official said.

Winds are very favorable right now, they’re very light, humidity was up today at about 20 percent, said Marc Peebles, of the Southern California Incident Management team, which has assumed control of fighting the blaze in Sierra Madre’s mountains.

Hopefully, the weather’s going to hold, Peebles said at a Sunday afternoon news conference.

Authorities ordered about 1,000 people to flee their homes Sunday, and Peebles said all Sierra Madre schools would be closed Monday.

The fire is running way out in the Angeles National Forest — that’s where we’re having a problem engaging the fire safely, Tim Davis, of U.S. National Forestry Service, said at the news conference. Watch firefighters battle the blaze

Among those forced to leave Sunday was a wedding party of about 50 people who woke up the morning after the nuptials to find search-and-rescue officials telling them to evacuate.

It was sort of shocking. I didn’t think that we were going to have to be airlifted out, the bride, Julie Grady, told CNN.

One firefighter battling the blaze had a minor injury to his knee, and was treated at a hospital and released, Los Angeles County fire officials said. Otherwise, there have been no reports of injuries.

Peebles said he hoped firefighters could fully contain the fire in four days to a week, depending on weather conditions.

No homes have been destroyed, though some are threatened as the blazes spread, causing the mandatory evacuation orders for about 400 houses, fire officials said. However, Davis said that most of the risks [to the structures] are being removed.

City Manager Elaine Aguilar said one gardening shed was destroyed.

We don’t know what started the fire. But we do know that it wasn’t some natural cause such as lightning or something like that. We do know that it was man-made, she told CNN Sunday Morning.

About 500 firefighters were working to battle the blaze, Davis said. City spokeswoman Elisa Weaver said earlier that the firefighters were receiving air support from two helicopters and three water tankers. Aircraft would operate until dark, Peebles said. Watch the march of a wind-driven wildfire

Separately, in San Diego, a 50-acre fire burned in what fire officials described as open space. Officials said the fire was not threatening homes and there were no calls for evacuations.

The blaze in Sierra Madre began Saturday in an area that has not seen fires in more than 30 years, which means it has a great deal of kindling — such as dry brush and shrubs — to fuel the flames, Aguilar told CNN. And the terrain is rugged, hampering firefighters’ efforts. The hot weather — with temperatures in the mid-90s by midday — added to the challenge.

A shelter was opened for those forced from their homes, fire officials said. Aguilar told CNN about 30 to 40 people spent the night at one shelter, a local senior center.

Aguilar called on residents to heed the warnings of public safety personnel. Some roads are very narrow and must remain clear for safety personnel to make it into the area, she said.

Sierra Madre is in Los Angeles County, about 13 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles.

For the wedding party, the situation came as a surprise.

The groom, Ken Grady, told CNN, We were going to do it Labor Day weekend when the fire danger is high. So we thought, ‘April, no problem.’ Obviously, fire danger is high all the time in Southern California. Watch the couple talk about their eventful weekend

After the wedding Saturday afternoon, We did smell some smoke and were informed of the fire last night, Bride Julie Grady told CNN on Sunday. She added that the group didn’t realize, I guess, how bad the danger was until this morning, when search and rescue came up to the camp and started evacuating us.

Ken Grady said the officials got a little nervous energy going around the whole group, but all reached safety. It was exciting — and a little nerve-wracking, he said.

Mary Jo Sokolowski, Julie Grady’s sister, called it quite an adventure.

As for the happy couple, she said, They’re doing good, and it definitely made it quite, you know, a great memory, actually.
found here.