Elias (3) was tortured to death by his abusive parents - because he was a "demon".
A three-year-old boy died in the town of Ibs in Tyrol after months of torture and abuse, as the prosecution reported that his parents believed he was a 'devil' and subjected him to violence and harsh treatment that ultimately led to his death.
According to the Innsbruck Public Prosecutor's Office, the parents isolated Elias from his siblings and subjected him continuously to beating, restraint, imprisonment, and humiliation. He was also tied up and left for hours in the dark, had cold or hot water poured on him, and was kept in completely inhumane conditions.
The prosecution claims that the abuse escalated gradually over several months, leading to the child suffering from severe malnutrition and dehydration. At the time of his death on May 19, 2024, he weighed just over seven kilograms, which is less than half the normal weight for a child his age. Medical examinations confirmed that his death was directly caused by prolonged starvation.
Investigators also discovered that the father Kevin and the mother had installed surveillance cameras throughout the house, even in the bathroom, to constantly monitor the child. They filmed and documented the torture, believing they were facing a supernatural force controlling their son.
The psychiatric report showed that both suffer from personality disorders with sadistic tendencies, but she was deemed fit for criminal accountability. The mother faces the possibility of life imprisonment in addition to being placed in a forensic psychiatric hospital. The three daughters—including Elias's twin sister—were transferred to foster families, thereby ending what authorities described as an unbearable situation.