For over a decade, Gerrit Jan Van Dorsten subjected his children to horrific abuse, confining them in cages as part of his twisted belief that the world was ending. The six youngsters, all adults by the time they were freed, endured regular beatings, starvation, and solitary confinement.
The Escape
In October 2019, one of Van Dorsten's sons, Israel, known as Jan, walked into a bar in a small Dutch village and revealed the terrifying reality of life inside the family's remote home. Staff alerted police, who discovered a disturbing scene and rescued the children, leading to Van Dorsten's arrest.
The Abuse
Van Dorsten justified his actions by claiming his children were "unclean" and his treatment would "stop evil spirits." The children, aged 18 to 25, were kept in tiny cells in a concealed dungeon. One boy had his hands and feet restrained, and another was imprisoned in a dog kennel for an entire summer.
Legal Proceedings
Van Dorsten was charged with depriving the children of liberty from 2007 to 2019 and alleged sexual abuse of two older children. A 61-year-old Austrian handyman, Joseph B, was found not guilty of detaining the older children but was convicted for assisting in their isolation. Van Dorsten was deemed too unwell to stand trial after a stroke.
Isolation
The children had never attended school, were unregistered with authorities, and spoke a "fantasy language" due to their complete isolation. Prosecutors stated they "lived in seclusion from birth, were kept indoors and had to be quiet so that no one would notice that they existed."
