An 82-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman are accused of abducting and subjecting a 45-year-old woman to torment for a period of five years.
The victim, described as psychologically vulnerable, was reportedly confined against her will in Saint-Molf, located in France’s Brittany peninsula, by the couple she shared a residence with. According to reports from French sources, she was found with signs of hypothermia and immediately taken to the hospital.
Prosecutor Antoine Leroy from Nantes revealed that the victim was coerced to reside either in the garden or a garage linked to the couple’s home.
The woman managed to escape when the man was occupied watching television and fled the enclosure where she was held. She sought help from a neighbor while partially unclothed, explaining that she had been held captive for five years.
She recounted living in the same house with another woman until the arrival of the man, after which she was forced to relocate to the garden, a tent, or the attached garage. A subsequent search of the premises corroborated her statements.
The victim endured harsh conditions while confined, sleeping on a deckchair in the garage, resorting to makeshift bathroom facilities, consuming unorthodox food combinations, and being restricted from leaving the premises.
The prosecutor mentioned that the victim had been untraceable since April 2022, coinciding with her divorce, with irregular activity in her bank accounts primarily involving significant payments to the couple.
The elderly pair was apprehended at the conclusion of the previous week and reportedly acknowledged the core events but attempted to minimize their severity.
They face serious charges of abduction coupled with torture or barbaric acts, carrying the potential for life imprisonment, along with allegations of exploiting the victim’s psychological and physical vulnerability.
While the man has been placed under judicial surveillance, the woman remains in custody pending further legal proceedings.