An elderly man, 82, and a woman, 60, are accused of abducting and subjecting a 45-year-old woman to torment for a span of five years. The victim, described as psychologically vulnerable, was reportedly confined in Saint-Molf, situated in France’s Brittany peninsula, by her housemate and the housemate’s partner. French reports indicate that the victim was in a state of hypothermia and had to be hospitalized.
According to Nantes prosecutor Antoine Leroy, the victim was coerced to reside in the garden or a garage on the property where the accused couple lived. The woman managed to escape when the man was preoccupied watching TV. She sought help from a neighbor, partially clothed, revealing that she had been held captive for five years.
The victim explained that she initially shared the house with another woman until the male suspect entered the picture. Subsequently, she was forced to move out of the house and live in the garden, either outdoors, in a tent, or in an attached garage. The authorities confirmed the validity of her account upon inspecting the property.
The victim was frequently confined to the garage, where she endured harsh living conditions, sleeping on a deck chair and resorting to using a potty or plastic bags for basic needs. She was also provided with substandard food mixed with dish soap and was prevented from leaving the premises.
The victim had been out of public view since April 2022, coinciding with her divorce. Noteworthy financial transactions were observed, suggesting undue influence by the accused couple. The suspects were apprehended and reportedly acknowledged the core allegations but attempted to downplay the severity of the situation.
The accused pair faces charges of kidnapping accompanied by torture or acts of cruelty, carrying the potential for life imprisonment. Additionally, they are charged with exploiting a person’s vulnerable mental or physical state and subjecting a vulnerable individual to mistreatment. While the male suspect is under judicial supervision, the female suspect remains in custody.