German Girl Held as Slave by Couple in Bosnia
A Bosnian couple has been arrested for allegedly holding a German girl as a slave for eight years. The now 19-year-old was reportedly forced to eat animal feed, do heavy field work and may have been sexually abused. Neighbors tipped off police.
The Bosnian media have compared the crimes to scenes “from the worst American horror films.” After eight years of being held as a slave and abused by a Bosnian couple, a German girl has been rescued from a remote village, Bosnian broadcaster FTV reported on Sunday. The couple has been arrested and the girl, now 19 years old, has been brought to safety.
The couple was taken into custody on May 17, but officials waited to announce the arrest until ensuring the victim’s safety and questioning witnesses. The girl was rescued after villagers told authorities she was being abused, state prosecutor’s office spokesman Admir Arnautovic told the Associated Press on Sunday.
The teen was “disoriented” when police found her and had visible injuries, Arnautovic said. “She now feels much better,” he added, saying that the investigation is ongoing.
Bosnian authorities did not provide more information on the girl’s identity, but her first name has been reported as Karla. The young woman is believed to have been brought to northern Bosnia eight years ago by her German mother, who was once married to the Bosnian man. The victim was held in the now 52-year-old man’s house in the village of Karavlasi and denied an education and contact to the outside world until a neighbor recently notified authorities, a police spokesperson told FTV. The girl’s mother allegedly still lives in the village and has denied accusations against the couple.