The Father Who Locked His Daughter in His Basement for 24 Years
The Austrian Horror Dad Who Held His Daughter Locked 24 Years Behind Eight Locked Doors
Held a daughter captive for 24 years behind eight locked doors in a concealed corridor part of the basement area.
Physically assaulted, sexually abused, and raped his daughter during the long years of imprisonment that resulted in the birth of seven children were reported as foundlings.
According to Elisabeth later, her father started sexually abusing her in 1977, when she was only 11. One year later, her horrible ordeal would begin. For Elisabeth, it all started innocently enough with helping her father move a door down the stairs. On August 29, 1984, when she was 18, she would carry the door downstairs and help his dad put it into place on the door frame. It was not until the door was in place that she realized that the door was for her and that she was now calling the basement dungeon home. After knocking her out with ether, her father threw her into the chamber. She would remain there for over 20 years. Her mother knew nothing of this and filed a missing person report with the police when her daughter disappeared. One month later, Josef gave police a letter he said was mailed to them by Elisabeth.
In reality, he had forced her to write it while in captivity. Postmarked from a different community, the letter told she was living with a friend and did not want to be found.
From this moment on, her life of terror and abuse would continue. Every three days her father would visit her in her chamber, bringing her food and supplies. He later admitted that during the visits he sexually assaulted her. Those attacks would result in the birth of seven children in captivity. Three children would be removed from captivity and began living with Josef and his wife. Amazingly, he was able to convince not only his wife but social services, that the children appeared on his doorstep. He and his wife would be approved as foster parents as a result. Social services would visit the home on a regular basis to check on the children, but there was nothing reported to raise any doubts or suspicions in them.
The prison, and that was what it was, would be enlarged 10 years after Elisabeth was kidnapped by her father, and items such a VCR, television, fridge and hot plates would be added. Despite the amenities, there was no mistaking that Elisabeth and her children were living in hell. Her father would often turn the lights out for days to punish them. He also told Elisabeth and the three children with her that if they tried to escape, he had the ability to gas them and kill them all. This was an empty threat as it was found there were no capabilities to do this at all. Josef also told Elisabeth that if she touched the door, she would receive an electric shock that would kill her.
One can wonder how his wife never figured out that her own daughter was being assaulted by her husband in the basement, where three other children lived, but she claimed she never knew. Josef’s sister-in-law stated that she would see him go into the basement at 9 a.m. every day to draw up plans for devices to sell to firms. Another tenant who lived there for 12 years said noises were heard in the basement, but Josef just stated that the noises were the heating system.