In a scenario that has shocked the residents of Laktasi, in the Serbian Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina, a woman in her 40s has been rescued after spending a long period of 17 years without leaving her own home. This disturbing discovery occurred when the family finally requested medical help for the woman, who was on the verge of death, according to police sources reported by Bosnian television AVTV, which has uncovered the case. The discovery has stunned doctors and local authorities and triggered a thorough police investigation.
The victim, whose identity has not yet been revealed, was admitted in a coma to the University Hospital of the Republic of Serbia, in Belgrade, on September 12, after his family called the ambulance. The woman was found by emergency services in a deplorable state: malnourished, unconscious and with multiple wounds all over her body.
According to police sources close to the investigation, the doctors who treated her were stunned by the severity of her condition. "We have never seen anything similar. The woman had not washed herself for years, she had hair down to the floor, which looked more like a sheet of metal than human hair. She was completely neglected," the source told the Bosnian newspaper Telegraf.
Local authorities at a press conference have revealed that the victim lacks identification documents and that, apparently, he only completed primary education. "All this time, she lived in the same home with her mother and two brothers." A brother of the woman, when questioned by the police, admitted that her sister "had not left the house since 2006", which is equivalent to 17 years of total captivity. Furthermore, the family "never sought help or contacted the relevant authorities," including doctors and social services, throughout this entire period.
In addition to his malnutrition and profound personal neglect by those close to him, doctors discovered severe skin lesions, including ulcers that reached to the bone. "These injuries are an indication of the prolonged period of immobility to which she was subjected," the same sources detailed to AVTV.
The Banja Luka Police have launched a thorough investigation into a possible case of abandonment and illegal detention. For his part, the prosecutor on duty at the region's District Attorney's Office has ordered the collection of police statements from family members, along with medical reports, to determine whether a crime has been committed.
While the course of the investigation continues. The chilling case has raised national questions about how a woman could remain hidden and in such inhumane conditions for so many years without anyone intervening to help her.
