Croatia: Mother kept son captive for 59 years

Croatia: Mother kept son captive for 59 years

When Veronika died about a month ago, Dragutin was found closed in his room.

Dragutin was not able to walk on his own; he was not aware of radio or television. He was outside his room in their courtyard only several times in his lifetime, and he has never seen anybody except his mother, his father, who died some 20 years ago, and two younger brothers, the site said.

Dragutin's two brothers left their parents' home a long time ago to live with their own families.

Social welfare officials in Beli Manastir, close to the Croatian-Hungarian border, have taken care of Dragutin, trying to teach him about everyday life.