PAS-DE-CALAIS. After the discovery of a family of ten abused children in Pas-de-Calais at the end of August, the Béthune prosecution took up the case of the “house of horror”. The parents will be judged in January. What are they accused of?
The “house of horror”, an unequivocal name given by the media to the home in which ten children were abused by their parents. It was in a dwelling in Noyelles-sous-Lens, in Pas-de-Calais, that the siblings were discovered on August 30 after the eldest reported the deplorable living conditions of his brothers and sisters to the police station of police. During their intervention, the police discovered two young children tied to their high chair and others with difficulty moving or expressing themselves. Of the ten children in the family, aged 4 months to 24 years, the six youngest were still living in the “house of horror” with their parents. Since then, these minors have been cared for by Child Welfare Services and placed with foster families. Parents are strictly forbidden to come into contact with their children.
Abuse, deprivation… What are parents accused of?
The investigation requested by the Béthune public prosecutor’s office revealed that the children had very little schooling, but the precise living conditions have yet to be determined. The children showed “no signs of serious abuse that would have caused scars”, added the prosecution. However, the testimony of one of the elders, Bryan, to TF1 reports appalling hygienic conditions, lack of care and deprivation of freedom. Thierry Dran, public prosecutor of Béthune, noted negligence on the part of the parents but nevertheless considered it “exaggerated” to speak of a “house of horror” in the media.
What do the parents of the “house of horror” risk?
The two parents living in the ‘house of horror’, a 44-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman, were taken into custody and questioned by the police in early September. Both recognized the facts and justified some of them, such as the tying up of their children, which was supposed to prevent them from doing stupid things. The couple went before a judge and have since been placed under judicial supervision. On Sunday September 4, the public prosecutor of Béthune, Thierry Dran, declared that the two individuals will be tried in January 2023 before the criminal court for “subtraction by ascendant from legal obligations” and “violence of a minor aged 15 by ascendant “. For these two counts, the parents face up to five years in prison. Pending the trial, the couple was able to return to their home.
Parents followed by social services?
The parents of the “house of horrors” had been monitored by social services since 2013 but played tricks on their youngest children to cover up signs of violence or abuse, according to Bryan’s testimony. The 21-year-old also explained that his parents were notified before each social services visit. Worse still, it was not the parents who were followed but the children accused by the couple of causing them problems, according to Bryan. An administrative inquiry has been initiated by the government into the “failures” in the care of this family, which has been reported and followed up by social services.