German couple sentenced in Spain for confining children for 3.5 years

A German couple, with the mother also holding U.S. citizenship, was sentenced in Spain to nearly three years in prison for keeping their three children—nine-year-old twins and an 11-year-old—confined in their home near Oviedo for three and a half years. The parents, whose names remain anonymous to protect the minors, had developed phobias of the outside world following the Covid-19 pandemic. They were convicted of family abandonment and causing psychological harm but were acquitted of the more serious charge of illegal detention. Prosecutors had originally sought a 25-year sentence. The court ordered the parents to pay 30,000 euros in compensation to each child and stripped them of parental rights for at least three years and four months. Police arrested the pair in April 2025 after discovering the children were living in unsanitary conditions and were not attending school. The mother’s lawyer, Javier Munoz, argued that the children were homeschooled and well-fed, and stated that the parents are considering an appeal.