A married couple, a 54-year-old German man and a 49-year-old American woman, has been sentenced to two years and ten months in prison for habitual psychological violence and abandonment of family. For nearly four years, they kept their three children isolated in a chalet in Fitoria, known as the house of horrors. The Provincial Court acquitted them of the crime of illegal detention, which could have carried more than 25 years in prison.
The chalet as a digital bubble: forced disconnection and extreme parental control 🔒
The case raises a debate about the limits of technology in parenting. The parents used physical isolation as a method of control, depriving the minors of internet access and outside contact. In a context where child development depends on digital and social interaction, this forced confinement prevented the acquisition of basic skills. The ruling emphasizes that technology should not be an instrument of confinement, but a tool for integration, and that its restrictive use can constitute psychological violence.
Low-cost parenting: confinement, zero wifi, and lots of imagination 💸
All things considered, the couple applied the cheapest educational method on the market: total confinement with no expenses for school, extracurricular activities, or an internet bill. Of course, it cost them dearly in lawyers. The couple thought isolating the kids was a great Friday night plan, but the justice system didn't buy it. In the end, two years and ten months to reflect on how to come out of the digital closet.