Philosopher father, fearing COVID, accused of locking kids indoors for four terrifying years

A German man accused of subjecting his three young children to nearly four years of extreme lockdown has been identified as a former HR manager with a doctorate in philosophy.

Christian Steffen, 53, and his American wife, Melissa Ann, 48, allegedly kept their eight-year-old twin boys and 10-year-old son imprisoned inside their rented villa in Oviedo, northern Spain, since October 2021.

Spanish authorities raided the home on Monday, uncovering disturbing conditions in what they described as a "house of horrors." The children were reportedly found wearing three medical face masks each and using nappies, with investigators discovering a guest room piled with soiled diapers. A bathroom near the twins’ bedroom was occupied by a one-eyed cat suffering from a large tumor, according to reports in El Español.

Authorities say the couple lived in a state of near-paranoia over COVID-19. Five ozone-based air purifiers were running around the clock, and Mr. Steffen was allegedly the only person allowed to open the front door to collect grocery deliveries. All blinds in the house were kept closed, except for those in the children's bedrooms—which had to be shut precisely at 5:10 p.m. daily.

The children had not set foot outside for years, investigators said. When officers escorted them out of the house, one reportedly knelt on the grass and touched it in awe. “They had three masks each on top of each other. They were oblivious to any contact with reality,” one officer said.

The children were said to be particularly fearful of their mother, whom the press reported weighed over 140kg (22 stone) and kept 22 jars of Vaseline at her bedside. She allegedly warned officers not to approach the boys, insisting they had serious illnesses. A medical examination found all three children suffered from severe constipation due to holding in bowel movements for hours, unwilling to soil their diapers. The couple are now under investigation for domestic abuse, psychological mistreatment, and child abandonment. Both were remanded into custody following their arrest.

The Telegraph contributed to this article.