A 70-year-old Swedish mom has been arrested for keeping her 41-year-old son locked up inside their filthy apartment for nearly three decades — leaving him covered in sores and barely able to walk, officials said Tuesday.
The son had allegedly been held captive for 28 years when he was found by a relative Sunday in the apartment in Haninge, Deutsche Welle (DW) reported, citing local media.
He was discovered lying on a blanket on the floor in the kitchen after the mother had been taken to the hospital.
The relative said he had almost no teeth, was covered in sores, and was barely able to speak or walk, according to Swedish outlets.
The apartment was also covered in urine, dust and dirt — and the family member said that she had to wade through clutter just to get to him.
“I’m in shock, brokenhearted, but at the same time relieved,” the relative told Swedish outlet the Expressen, DW reported.
“I’ve been waiting for this day for 20 years because I figured out that [the mother] was totally controlling his life, but I never imagined the extent of it.”
Stockholm prosecutor Emma Olsson declined to comment on the details of his injuries, but said he was receiving medical treatment.
“He’s now in hospital … I know that he needed surgery,” Olsson said.
The man had reportedly been taken out of school when he was 12 years old, though it’s unclear why he has allegedly holed up all these years or what attempts, if any, were made to rescue him.
Neither the man nor his mother has been identified.
The mom has denied the charges of false imprisonment and grievous bodily harm, Olsson said.