A 42-year-old woman has been discovered in a critical condition after allegedly being locked in a room by her parents for 27 years. The woman, identified only as Mirrella, was found in July in Świętochłowice, southern Poland, after neighbours reported a disturbance.
Police were called to an apartment block following the report, but the 82-year-old landlady denied any altercation. When officers spoke to Mirrella, she assured them there was no problem, but they immediately called for medical assistance upon noticing her injuries.
Deputy Inspector Anna Hryniak told Polish newspaper Fakt that Mirrella was 'days away from death due to infection' and has been in hospital for two months. The woman had not been seen in public since 1998, when she was 15, and had never visited a dentist or hairdresser in all those years.
Local residents, who believed Mirrella had left home, have launched a fundraiser to support her recovery. Prosecutor Agnieszka Kwatera confirmed an investigation has been launched into the case.
