Austrian man remanded over 24-year abuse

Updated: 19:48, Tuesday, 29 April 2008

A 73-year-old man who admitted locking up his daughter for 24 years and fathering her seven children has been remanded in custody.

1 of 2 Josef Fritzl Admitted 24-year abuse to police
Josef Fritzl
Admitted 24-year abuse to police
2 of 2 Austria Father remanded by court
Austria
Father remanded by court

A 73-year-old Austrian man who has admitted locking up his daughter for 24 years and fathering her seven children has been remanded in custody.

Josef Fritzl was transferred yesterday from police custody in Amstetten to a court in nearby St Poelten where he appeared before a custodial judge.

Austria's Justice Minister, Maria Berger, warned media that publishing photos of any of the victims could result in fines of up to €20,000.

DNA results today verified Mr Fritzl's admission that he was the father of his daughter's children.

Mr Fritzl confessed yesterday to imprisoning his now 42-year-old daughter Elisabeth in an underground dungeon in the family home in Amstetten, 100km west of Vienna.

He still faces several days of questioning and police were expected to continue searching the cellar today.

Police said they want to know how Mr Fritzl fed his daughter and three of her children also held captive, how the babies were born and cared for in the windowless dungeon, and how he could have incarcerated his victims for so long without his wife knowing.

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