A father and husband in Brazil is accused by police of sexually abusing and imprisoning his wife, their seven children and his mother-in-law for two decades, according to multiple reports.
The alleged crimes came to light after one of the daughters escaped the home in Novo Oriente de Minas in the state of Minas Gerais, local police said, per several Brazilian outlets including Guia Muriae, Diario Do Rio Doce and O Tempo.
The 54-year-old man, who has not been named in the reports, allegedly held his 40-year-old wife captive for almost the entirety of their marriage, Herika Ribeiro Sena of the Regional Civil Police station in Teofilo Otoni said, per Guia Muriae, Diario Do Rio Doce and O Tempo.
“The victim only left the house to receive benefits and was often accompanied by him,” Sena said, per Guia Muriae and O Tempo.
“None of the neighbors knew her, not even her relatives had access to her,” she said. (The translation of the quotes varied slightly for the outlets).
The couple’s children, between the ages of 3 and 22, were also victimized by him, per police, the outlets reported.
The daughters allege they had been sexually abused by their father, police said, according to O Tempo and Folhadoes.
Police allege the daughters claimed the man drilled holes into the walls of the house so he could see them taking showers and getting dressed, per Guia Muriae, Diario Do Rio Doce and O Tempo.
The man also allegedly sexually abused his now-deceased mother-in-law, police allege, per the outlets. Police further allege the woman died after falling ill and not being given proper care.
The man is further accused of burying three fetuses on the property after forcing his wife to have three miscarriages by making her take medication, police say, per Guia Muriae and O Tempo.
The man is being charged with false imprisonment, rape of a vulnerable person, psychological violence, abortion and concealment of a corpse, per Sena, Diario Do Rio Doce, O Tempo and Folhadoes reported.
“What this daughter did is very important: bringing what was happening to the public so that action could be taken,” Sena said, per all three outlets.
The suspect is in custody and has denied all charges against him, per Guia Muriae, Diario Do Rio Doce and O Tempo.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
