In a shocking case of abuse that has horrified Brazil, two sisters were discovered chained to their beds in a house of horrors where their 68-year-old father allegedly drugged and raped them for over a year.
Police raided the home in Juazeiro do Norte, Brazil on May 5 after a neighbor reported suspicious activity at the residence. What they discovered was nothing short of nightmarish.
Harrowing photos taken during the raid show one sister with her feet bound together while the other lay unconscious on a filthy mattress. Police footage captured the moment officers approached the house before making their grim discovery inside.
The conditions were appalling — the women were surrounded by human waste and garbage in what investigators described as “deplorable living conditions.” Both victims, aged 36 and 38, exhibited signs of severe malnutrition and dehydration, appearing shockingly thin after their prolonged captivity.
The father, now dubbed “Brazil’s Fritzl” by local media in reference to the infamous Austrian Josef Fritzl who imprisoned and raped his daughter for 24 years, was immediately taken into custody.
Authorities believe the abuse began approximately one year ago when the victims’ mother left for a hospital appointment and never returned home. During this period, the father allegedly kept his daughters drugged, chained to their beds, and subjected them to repeated sexual assaults.
“I always suspected something was wrong, but we never imagined it was this horrific,” one neighbor told local reporters after the rescue operation.
The suspect was transported to the Women’s Defence Police Station where he faces charges of domestic violence, mistreatment, psychological violence, and unlawful imprisonment. Additional rape charges are expected once the victims undergo medical examinations to document evidence of sexual abuse.
In a disturbing attempt to justify his actions, the father reportedly told police he had restrained his daughters to “prevent them from falling out of their beds” — a claim investigators immediately dismissed given the overwhelming evidence of intentional imprisonment and abuse.
Both women are currently receiving urgent medical care at a local hospital. Doctors report they are in serious but stable condition, suffering from the physical and psychological effects of prolonged captivity, malnutrition, and alleged sexual abuse.
“The road to recovery will be long for these victims,” said the lead investigator. “The trauma they’ve endured is severe, and they’ll require extensive support to rebuild their lives.”
This horrifying case emerges just months after Brazilian authorities uncovered another shocking abuse situation in Novo Oriente last October. In that case, a 52-year-old father allegedly kept his wife and seven children captive for years, subjecting them to repeated sexual assault.
That investigation began when one of the daughters managed to drug her father with sleeping pills and escape to alert authorities. Police later discovered three buried fetuses on the property and learned the wife had been imprisoned since she was 17 years old.
The parallels to Austria’s Josef Fritzl case are striking. Fritzl, one of the world’s most notorious abusers, imprisoned his daughter in a basement for 24 years, fathering seven children with her through repeated rape. He is currently serving a life sentence.
Authorities are continuing to gather evidence as the investigation progresses. The sisters’ testimony will be crucial once their medical condition stabilizes enough for formal statements.
Police have urged the public to remain vigilant about signs of abuse and to report suspicious activity immediately to prevent such horrific situations from continuing undetected.
“These cases show the importance of community awareness,” said a spokesperson for Brazil’s domestic violence unit. “If you suspect something is wrong, report it. Your call could save someone’s life.”
