Tom Ewart Smith
RESIDENTS of the quiet Asturian hamlet of Toleo remain in disbelief following the discovery of three children who had allegedly been kept in near-total isolation for nearly four years in what is now being dubbed Spain’s ‘house of horrors.’
The revelation has stunned locals who lived just metres away from the secluded property where a German-American couple are accused of raising their children in squalor and secrecy, without access to the outside world.
The couple, a 53-year-old man and his 48-year-old wife, were arrested on Monday after police, acting on a tip-off from a neighbour, entered the villa located near the convent of the Carmelite nuns.
Inside, officers found eight-year-old twins and a ten-year-old living in ‘seriously neglected’ conditions, surrounded by faeces, garbage, a sick cat, and sealed windows that had kept them hidden from the outside world.
The children, all wearing pyjamas and triple-layered face masks, had reportedly not left the house since late 2021.
“When we brought them outside, they all began to breathe deeply, as if they had never been outdoors before,” an officer involved in the rescue said. “One of them touched the grass with his hands, amazed.”
One of the closest neighbours, Silvia, began to grow suspicious after hearing faint children’s voices and noticing subtle movements of curtains.
She alerted Oviedo’s Family and Childhood Services on April 14.
Her tip led to an investigation that culminated in the police operation earlier this week, which took place during Spain’s nationwide blackout.
Local officials have expressed shock that such a case could go undetected for so long.
“We have returned three children to life. I never imagined something like this could happen in our country,” said Chief Commissioner Francisco Javier Lozano at a press conference.
Neighbours say they were completely unaware that a family had been living at number 15A, which lies just 1.9 km from Oviedo’s city centre.
The father was rarely seen and only opened the door for food deliveries or the postman.
Marino Guardado, a resident of Toleo for over two decades, told elDiario.es: “In these four years that the house was rented to this German couple with three children, I never saw anyone – no man, no woman, no children, no dog, no cat. For me, there was no one living there.”
The Carmelite nuns living nearby were equally taken aback.
“We thought it was empty, because the garden wasn’t looked after and there was no sign of life inside,” Sister Teresa said.
Other locals echoed the disbelief. Elena Rodriguez, who regularly walks in the area, told the news outlet: “I had no idea someone could be living there. I never heard a sound. It’s a very big surprise.”
The father had reportedly registered his residency in February 2022, months after moving in.
He and his wife, who are now being held in provisional custody without bail, face charges of illegal detention, child neglect, and habitual psychological abuse.
The judge has also stripped them of parental rights.
According to investigators, the children spoke mostly English and had never been enrolled in school.
Social workers described how the twins were still sleeping in baby cots with no legs, while the eldest child had a makeshift bed on the floor.
All three are now in the care of the regional government of Asturias at a specialist facility where their psychological and emotional wellbeing is being assessed.
Regional welfare minister Marta del Arco said: “It’s too early to assess the full extent of the trauma,” but assured that the children are now receiving appropriate care.
The modest rural enclave of Toleo has now become the centre of national attention.
Access to the villa has been restricted, with journalists stationed nearby.
A handwritten sign strung with cord warns that the property is private and entry is forbidden.
As the investigation continues, the sense of sorrow and frustration that lingers in the community will only grow bigger.
