A woman, 42, was found in a critical condition after allegedly being confined to her room for 27 years by her parents, leaving her on the brink of death. Identified only as Mirrella, she was last seen publicly in 1998 at the age of 15 in the city of Świętochłowice in southern Poland. The local community believed she had disappeared, but she resurfaced nearly three decades later, never having received basic medical or grooming care.
The situation came to light in July when the police responded to a disturbance reported by neighbors at an apartment complex. Despite the denial of any altercation by the 82-year-old landlady, Deputy Inspector Anna Hryniak revealed that Mirrella was in distress, prompting the authorities to call for medical assistance. A fundraising initiative has been initiated by locals to aid the woman, who was dangerously close to death due to untreated infections, now under hospital care for the past two months.
The revelation of Mirrella’s prolonged isolation has shocked those who knew her, assuming she had left her family years ago. The circumstances leading to her confinement remain unclear, with an ongoing investigation to uncover the truth behind her abrupt disappearance from society. The lack of exposure to the outside world has left her unaware of the city’s progress, deprived of basic necessities like healthcare, identification, and simple outdoor activities.
Prosecutor Agnieszka Kwatera has confirmed the launch of an inquiry into the case, following a similar incident where a six-year-old girl was rescued in September after being kept locked in a room throughout her life. The child, neglected and isolated, was rescued by the authorities following a tip-off, found in a squalid room with minimal care or education. Suffering from severe malnutrition and infections, she had never attended school or learned to communicate properly, requiring specialized care and attention to address her developmental delays and health issues.