There are so many of these cases in and around the world today - but the government are doing really nothing about but allowing them facilities like tv, sports etc!! The government really needs to put a stop to such dirty activites. To Elisabeth - may the stars above shine on you and the children.

Roopa, Port Eliabeth, South Africa

This man is inhumane. My heart goes out to Elisabeth and her children.I pray that the Lord will give them added strength to overcome so that they can live life to its fullest potential. Elisabeth you are a strong woman.

Eunice, Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Elisabeth comes across as a strong, proud woman and fiercely protective of her children.The media, including this paper, should leave her in peace and stop sending its journos to chase her out of her new life of independence.

Jackie, Guildford,

He needs to be put in the cell Hanibal Lecture was, and studied by Dr. Chilton. This guy is a real-life monster.

DF, Chicago, U.S.

Life imprisonment does not fit such a monster ... they should castrate him and let him rot. He has ruined so many lives ... his crimes are simply too downright atrocious!

Isabel, Singapore,

Life imprisonment, is that the maximum punishment he could get? He deserves more than that. Let the almighty give the power to Elizabeth and all others affected by this cruel animal to live strong.

Praveen, Perth, Australia

There should be a special place in Hell for this freak of nature! Talk about being a Devil's reject! It's a wonder that this perverted monster did not physically & sexually abuse his (grand)children, while they were all locked up in that hellhole! I hope she & the kids find some kind of closure!

Steve, San Diego, USA

this man has stolen living lives. even if he has 'life' imprisonment it makes me sick he has got away with pre meditated atrocites for an average LIFE span.
what will the rest of Elisabeth and her children's life hold now? complete ruin. will they manage.

alicia, Edinburgh, scotland

I hope they do the right thing. Elisabeth must be a strong woman. I pray the best for her and those children.

Shaun, Jackson, United States

I say put him away in a cell where there will be no sun light and punish him everyday and spend the rest of his life in that prison so he can feel what it must of been like for Elisabeth and the children..may god give Elisabeth power over her farther and give her a sucessful fight in court!!

vasim, blackburn, united kingdom

I say put him in the same cell he had imprisoned his family and throw away the key!

Alex, Rockville, USA

God press Elisabeth and her children!!!! I still cannot believe this is happened in our real life!!!

Hosanna, London, UK

I think he should be put to death.
He is a burden to society.

Dee, Stevensville, usa

Men of today are especially cruel towards women and I believe a lot of it has to do with these so called "gentlemens clubs". Why does society allow these type of degrading places to survive? It hurts all women in the long run even the women that work in these places. That's my opinion!

ann, smithville, bastrop

Frizls wife must have the brain size of a peanut not to have suspected something. I hope that the photographers leave this family alone - i never want to see one unauthorised photo of them from paparazzi types trying to cash in on their terrible story. They deserve a lifetime of peace.

Mel, Sydney, Australia

My heart cries out to this poor family. I pray to God, that they find the strength to live a normal life. There ar no words for this animal that did this to his daughter. I find it a bid hard to believe that her mother did not know somethig was wrong, Once I read an article where the mother took

Irene, Tampa, USA

This is the world we live in.

joe, Rochester NY, USA

on vacation but left Elisabeth with her father-What truly concerns me this incest and how will this affect her children in future. Would they be reciommended not having children of their own..due to mental illness and perhaps more? Elisabeth and family (children) May God bless you all !!!!!!

Irene, Tampa, USA

I truly believe Kerstein is an angel in disguise and their ticket out of that prison they were kept in. This is work of God and his angels to gt them out of there :) God Bless each and every one of you Elisabeth and her children

Irene, Tampa, USA

Please do not blame Elizabeth for not trying to escape, the monster threatens and you have no idea how real it feels. Even if they may sound like empty threats to you, they are so real and absolutely frightening to Elizabeth and her children, she had tried absolutely all she can in her power.

Haoying Lee, London, UK

Joseph Fitzl has illustrated yet again what mankind is capable of. The best we can do is to never forget the cruelties that happened and work our best to prevent such things from ever happening again and I don't mean prayers. I bet Elisabeth prayed plently down there, where was God then?

Michael Johnson, Chicago, United States

authorities should seal him in his own dungeon.

Karen, San Diego, USA

Has anyone stepped forward to give to this family a home somewhere, where they could get away from the memories? I mean we have shows where we give new homes and such to those that need it. How much more do these people need to get a new home far way from where this all happened? & a trip to Disney

Gigi, wichita, USA

I can never understand how someone can be so evil. But I believe the death sentence was made for people like these.

Ley, Philly,

EVIL does not cover it. How horrible an existence for this family.
I question also---- the article states he was married and 3 of the children lived w/him and his wife "upstairs" - the "wife" should be held accountable as well. Why didn't one of the 3 chosen children alert authorities?

LHipp, Fruitland Park, USA

It would be interesting to know if the Father of Josef Fritzl was a Nazi? Did that type of evil come down the family line?

ELH, Lake Hopatcong NJ, USA

What is wrong w/ our society my God! Take a look at the news this week all the abuse sickens me! I truely hope that this family will get "ALL" of the help counciling and such that they need, and that people will STOP looking the other way and start getting involved as if it was their own family!

Melissa Patterson, Belleville, Unite Sates

I don't understand. I'm so sorry for everything she went through. Why couldn't she escape? This is so tragic. I hope that man rots in jail.

catherine, Auburn, USA

My prayers go to Elizabeth & her children. Although there is no excuse for her father's brutality, my prayers also go to him. A man such as this is not created in a vacuum, he learned this behavior, something similar was done to him. Something similar was done to me,Not easily, I was able to forgive

Joyce Wilde, Milwaukee, USA

Aubree Judge, Kemmerer, USA- what you said- I agree 100%! If you cut off the problem, you have no problem. Of course, I would cut them off without use of anesthtic and without sterile equipment.

Jeff, Nashville, TN, USA

This is just one of those truly sad stories that breaks my heart. Elizabeth sounds like she is a extremely strong woman. She has suffered the worst at the hands of someone that was suppose to protect her..sounds like she made a choice to survive and that she will..

Anna, Torrance, USA

My heart goes out to this beautiful young woman and her preserverance in doing a beautiful job with her children under the terrible condions. I pray to God that her tears will be wiped away and replaced with hope and joy. The father belongs to Satan, but God is the only One to judge him.

Auroa Alvarez, Wichtia, KS, usa

I think his wife new what was going on, she probably was scared that she would end up in jail for not reporting it sooner. It is easier for some people to turn their heads....It is very sickening and he she be placed in a cell and treated the same way he did his daughter. God Bless her...

Sharon Jackson, Hoover, USA

Yet another reason why all male sex offenders should be castrated. This is sickening and I can only hope those children will be able to overcome their horrifying past to become functional adults. They should be praised for their courage to endure.

Aubree Judge, Kemmerer, USA

Where did the mother think these other children came from. Did she know and was afraid of her husband?

mary, temecula, united states

Her Mother had to know this was going on. After all, she was living upstairs with some of the children. This is sickening!!

Connie, Union, ASA

What a nightmare. Criticize the upstairs mother but do you know the hold an abuser can have over their victim. Was she to believe Elizabeth was alive, leaving children at the doorstep or that she was trapped below w/ more children? Could the wife fathom what was below or did she enable a monster?

Michelle , Arden, USA

There is so much I would like to know. What is the mother saying? How is she responding to all of this? Are all the children getting counseling? Even the ones who lived upstairs were most likely abused since the man was an abusive control freak. All of them have to live with what he did.

mitzi, Ocean Springs , US

To Jenna in Mandeville... all 3 children who lived upstairs were supposedly "left, one at a time, on the doorstep by Elisabeth" but turns out, the father placed them there so it would look like Elisabeth had left them after forcing her to write a note each time saying please take care of my baby...

Marianne, seymour, USA

Also, Elisabeth couldn't get out of the dungeon if she had wanted to, she was behind 9 locked doors. No one in the house, including apartment dwellers on the 1st floor right above the dungeon, knew she existed. They said they never heard anything. He spent HOURS building a concrete soundproof bunker

Marianne, seymour, USA

The crime is disgusting to say the least. I can't condemn the mother out of hand like that though. Nobody here knows the facts well enough to say she had anything to do with it.

I just am glad these poor kids and Elizabeth are finally free of this animal. I imagine his hold over them will remain.

Ken, San Diego, USA

i would have fought hell on earth for my child... he is a monster but there is more to the story than meets the eye...
how did it begin?

D Doyle, west palm, usa

I am just curious, the article mentions the three chosen children allowed to live upstairs with Fritzel and his wife. Was his wife aware or involved in this. There seems to be no way that she wasn't. Are there charges against her as well?

Jenna, Mandeville, US

Somehow,Elizabeth and her children are recovering,slowly. How,I can't imagine. Don't be so quick to judge the mother. This beast was a tyrant to the upstairs and the downstairs family. He raped his legal wife if and when he went near her. We know it wasn't love.Horrible.

KartofflMuter, San Jose, USA

For those who haven't read the story, Elizabeth's mother searched for her. Her father put up a scheme to make it seem like she ran away with a cult/gang, and dropped off her children on the parents' doorstep every couple of years. No doubt Elizabeth's mother was abused by this monster as well.

MH, FL, USA

As everyone has eluded to, this man is pure evil and this crime is horrific. Just think, this had went on for 24 years...how many others are out there hiding, suffering? Odds say there are more. I pray that God uses this case to literally open the doors for others to be saved. Our world needs God!

Nick Roberts, Cartersville, US

I praise God for Elizabeth and her family. Through this horrific crime, and her unfathomable pain she is a light to us all that with perserverance and courage and hope we may endure anything. Precious Elizabeth I commend you for being a strong beautiful women, and no matter what, you will make it.

anita, lexington, us

I am with all who wish this poor woman and her children well. I had to actually laugh when i saw the father was going to plead insanity. What complete bull. He made a bunker that is what that place was.Made a electronic door. Made her a slave and abused her.Hes not insane hes a monster

Rebecca Garrett, Killbuck, USA

let the puinishment fit the crime. seal him away as he did his worst. then let all of hell break loose against him. Make him pay ten times ten of his crimes and thousends of tens.

Jim Bean, Rathdrum, U.S.A.

This is disgusting! It makes you realize the absolute evil humans are capable of doing. Death will not be equal to what he did to her. It actually costs more to put some one to death because of all the court fees. I say let him lose among the other prisoners. May God be with her.

Lorin, BR, USA

I cannot think of a more horrific story than this. To not only survive, but to have made life liveable for her children, says more about the true nature of Elizabeth's beautiful, enduring soul than words ever could. What her and her children must have endured. They redifine heroism and courage.

Charleen, Tacoma, USA

Not sure how the first commentator thinks that Elisabeth is somehow responsible for this. She was a prisoner. What should she be prosecuted for? I cant even think of the right words to express how wrong that line of thinking is. Curious to know..what would you have done?

Michelle, Los Angeles, USA

This is sick maybe her mother was glad it was not her I donot believe the Mother didn't know this and she is a stupid woman. It's a shame for any one to endure such treatment by her own Father. The police should haul the SO CALLED MOTHER in and give her a Lie Detector What a sorry Mother.

Elizabeth Taft, Greenville. , North Carolina

It is an awful thing that he has done, but aren't we just as bad to say lets let him rot in prison? Personally, I would rather NOT pay for this monster to live another 20 years.. God will dish out the punishment. I think that he and the wife should be put to death. God bless Elizabeth and the kids!

Nicole, Portland, USA

I believe that the mother can not claim innocence and should be on trial as well as the father. It's sickening to think that she let this go on and did nothing about it. For Elizabeth i believe that she has to try to live her life and be strong for her children. Only God can heal her heart.

Dupe, LAGOS, Nigeria

This story is so disgusting, it's shocking that someone could do this to his own child. How is there any hope of her or her children living anything like a "normal" existence?? I agree that death is too easy for this monster... It's hard to believe that the mother had no clue...

Christine, Cleveland TN, USA

Evil is all around us. We try to find a way to make sense of it all by asking, why? But there is no answer, no comforting words that will reassure us that this was an anomaly, something that could never happen to us. Mankind is but a heart beat away from reverting back to a state of nature.

Colin, Arlington,

How could his wife not know? How did he explain the 'upstairs' children to her, where did he say they came from? How could she not recognize her own child in their faces? This stinks to high heaven, they should lock her up too.
I pray for the daughter and her children.

Dianne Duncan, houston, TX, USA

The death penalty for this guy wouldn't put him through what he did to that poor woman. Convict him, put him in general pop in the prisons for the rest of his life and let some of the other prisoners sexually abuse him like he has done repeatedly. What he did physically sickens me.

pam, Columbus, USA

Put to death is to easy a way for this trash. Me-Him-pliers-and a locked room for 45 minutes is all I ask.

Shannon, small town, usa

People like this monster is exactly the reason why execution should be a viable method of punishment in the EU for animals like this. If this monster had committed these crimes in the US he would be put on a gurney and have a needle shoved into his arm by the state and put to death.

Jason, Knoxville, US

For this brutality, the father should be castrated and immediately be put to death because no daughter and/or grandchildren should ever have to endure this abuse.

Shirley Moll, Shoreview, USA

When man debases himself no limits can be set. A man expected to secure his daughters rights and to develop her into a beautiful and free human being ravishes her repeatedly for quarter of a century and tarnishes her soul by becoming the father of the children of his own daughter. Absurd n brutal.

Tasleem-Arif, Beerwah Kashmir, India

In this world it is hard to see the un-imaginable Horror that happens to People on a day-to-day basis and this unfortunatley happned to her. The courage that she had to put up with the tourture her father did to her and her children. Makes her have " The Patience of a Saint" .

Allyson, Ocala,

Such an act of violence and brutality from one's own father .Then for your own mother to let this go on for such a length of time .Her cruelty is just as bad as the father . Both can not plead insanity for they both knew what they were doing to their daughter and the children involved .

marcus rhaney, Tampa,Fl., USA

I still don't understand how his wife didn't know or suspect something was not right over a period of 24 years.

Annie, Bath, UK

There is a hotter place in Hell for this guy. I hope Elizabeth and these children can try and live a normal life as they move forward. This is a horrible event!

Jonathan, Atlanta, USA

Elisabeth Fritzl deserves the highest award for her fortitude and courage. While never once knowing the warmth and affection of a loving husband, yet still she has brought up her children to be fine examples of human beings themselves while all of them endured such horrors. She is a admirable Woman.

Chris Coles, Medstead, Alton, United Kingdom

My wish for Elizabeth and her children is to have nothing but happiness and peace for the rest of their life, they deserve it.

Janie Tatsios, North Potomac, MD, USA

He is the lowest creature on this earth, but one day he will stand before God and there will be no where to hide, he'll wish the mountains would fall on him so that he doesn't have to look into the eyes of the Savior. Hell will be a very long time for him.
May God bless those he destroyed. PRY 4 thm

Virginia McKesson, Lexington, USA

I cannot find the words to describe how I feel when I think about how a father can do this to his own daughter. He has to be incredibly cruel and mentally sick . Just the thought of him doing this for over 25 years to this defenceless child is abhorring. This is against human nature in all ways.

Debbi, Richmond, Va, usa

What a disgusting crime. He should be put to death immediately and everything he owns should be sold and all proceeds go to her and the children.

Most importantly, I hope they can find forgiveness and peace in order to go on and have some sort of a life as a family.

Keli, Lexington, USA

I only hope that they can find a way to move forward and experience all the wonderful things that life has to offer and leave the cruelty of the past behind which they cannot do anything about now. There is time to heal and experience the wonderful things.

Rosalie, Atlanta, GA, USA

This man does not deserve a trial - he should just rot in prison like he made his daughter and kids do. Too bad he couldn't be confined to the same place he kept them. Do unto others as they say!! As far as the daughter and her kids, I pray that they get a lot of psychological help- they'll need

Lucy, venice, usa

It will be a long long road for Elisabeth and her children and hopefully with Gods help and lots of counseling they can lead a better life!

Birgit, Eustis, USA

My heart truly breaks for this family! I am praying that they will experience peace and healing beyond anything they could hope or imagine! I echo the fact that, if they lived near enough I would gladly assist them with their needs. May justice prevail. Many blessings to them!

Heidi, Scottsdalee, USA

I am disgusted to hear about this act of cruelty. I cannot imagine how this woman and her children could ever return to a normal life. I will pray for them to recover.

ashley, knoxville, USA

will this girl and her children survive this horror? they will need serious mental help. it is hard to believe there is such evil in the world!

nancy, reno, yusa

No words to describe this. I jusy hope and pray justice will prevail.

Janet, Sharon, USA

Dear GOD this poor woman and children have suffered. He is the type of animal that needs to be put down immediately. I pray she can get her and the children some councelling and lead some form of a normal life. I wish they lived near me I would definetly take care of them.

LUANN, LAWNDALE, US

I just can't imagine. I have no words that could express this cruelty. I really makes me sick to my stomach that another human could treat another human this way. Let alone relatives. This has to be the sickest human on the face of the earth. Death is to good for this man, but I'm a Christian.

Debbie, Buffalo, USA