A US-German couple has been sentenced to almost three years in prison in Spain for confining their three children to their home for three-and-a-half years, driven by a fear of the outside world that emerged after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Court Ruling and Charges
The father and mother were found guilty of family abandonment and causing psychological harm, but were acquitted of more serious unlawful detention charges. Prosecutors had sought a 25-year prison sentence. The couple, both German citizens with the mother also holding US citizenship, have not been publicly identified to protect their children's identities. The children are nine-year-old twins and an 11-year-old.
Compensation and Custody
The parents were ordered to pay 30,000 euros ($32,000) in compensation to each child and were stripped of custody for at least three years and four months.
Discovery and Arrest
Police arrested the couple in April 2025 after discovering the children had been living in unsanitary conditions in a house on the outskirts of Oviedo, a northern city, without attending school. The children were reportedly home-schooled and well-fed, according to Javier Muñoz, the mother's lawyer.
Response to Sentence
Muñoz stated that the couple, held in preventive custody since their arrest, were "moderately satisfied" with the sentence but were considering an appeal.
