it was august NUMBER_TOKEN NUMBER_TOKEN elizabeth fritzel had just turned NUMBER_TOKEN what should have been a happy time in her life was soon to become a living nightmare at some point that day elizabeth would disappear and not be seen again for NUMBER_TOKEN years soon after her disappearance rose mary fritzel elizabeth's mother filed a missing person's report no trace of her daughter could be found then almost a month later her father joseph fritzel produced a letter postmark from brownell a city a hundred miles from their home in austria according to the letter elizabeth was staying with a friend she demanded her family not search for her or she would leave the country joseph told the authorities as she had probably joined a religious cult they must have taken him at his word and nothing else was done to find her after that day another NUMBER_TOKEN years would pass until the world would hear from elizabeth again she was never missing at least joseph knew where she was the entire time as it turned out that same day that she had turned NUMBER_TOKEN he had trapped her in a hidden chamber that he had specifically built for her in the basement from then on he would visit her at least three times a week bring her food and other supplies what followed involved graphic detail because of joseph's repeated indecent assaults seven children would be born to elizabeth in her prison although one died soon after birth three of the children lisa monica and alexander were removed as infants and raised by joseph and rosemary this was all approved by local social services after joseph claimed the babies had just been left on his doorstep upon the birth of the fourth child joseph was kind enough to allow the chamber to be enlarged elizabeth and the children were made to dig out every inch of soil by hand the undertaking lasted several years as terrible as all this must have been it could have been far worse the captives were allowed to have things like a refrigerator television and vcr during their ordeal elizabeth taught the three remaining children kirsten stephan and felix how to read and write occasionally joseph would shut off the power and forget to deliver them food in order to teach them a lesson in a couple of different instances he went as far as telling them that they would be gassed or electrified to death if they attempted to escape then on april NUMBER_TOKEN NUMBER_TOKEN the eldest daughter kirsten fell unconscious elizabeth managed to convince joseph to seek medical attention for her she assisted joseph in carrying their child out to an awaiting ambulance it would be the first time she had been outside in NUMBER_TOKEN years although she was forced to return and stay another week her nightmare was soon to end once again joseph arrived with a letter supposedly written by elizabeth fortunately staff at the hospital found many aspects of his story puzzling and called the authorities that was when the investigation into elizabeth's disappearance was reopened joseph was questioned and an expert on colts found his story improbable because her illness was so severe elizabeth pleaded to be allowed to visit kirsten in the hospital amazingly joseph agreed and elizabeth along with her
NO_SEGMENT_TOKEN