Overview

• Three boys, aged 8 and 10, were rescued from a squalid home in Oviedo, Spain, where they had been held in isolation by their parents since December 2021.
• The children were forced to sleep in caged beds, denied access to fresh air, and subjected to strict controls on bathroom use, resulting in severe health issues.
• The parents, Christian and Melissa Ann Steffen, remain in custody at Asturias Prison, facing charges that could lead to 5–7 years of imprisonment.
• The rescue was initiated after a neighbor, Silvia, meticulously documented suspicious activity over years and submitted her findings to authorities in mid-April 2025.
• Efforts are ongoing to locate suitable relatives to care for the children, who are currently undergoing medical and psychological evaluations in state care.