The Lifetime film “Girl In The Basement” is based on the true tale of Elisabeth Fritzl. In 2008, the Fritzl case, which was based in Amstetten, Austria, came into the spotlight in the wake of Elisabeth admitting to police that she had been held by her late father Josef for over 24 years.
In the movie, Sara (Stefanie Scott) is held in a secret area of the basement of her house by her dad, Don (Judd Nelson), as her sister and mother are convinced that she’s escaped. Don would visit Sara to slap and torture her, which led to the birth of numerous children.
This is the true tale of Elisabeth Fritzl and where she is today. What Happened to Elisabeth Fritzl?
Elisabeth was one of the seven children born to Josef and Rosemarie Fritzl. It has been reported that Josef began to abuse Elisabeth in 1977 when she was just 11 years old.
Josef was able to lure her down to the basement at their home in the summer of 1984 by claiming the house needed help fixing the door. This door was later revealed to be the last fitting of the prison Josef created to entrap her.
After she disappeared, he persuaded his wife that his daughter had escaped and had a desire for a religious sect, in which Rosemarie was to be a believer for years until the truth came out.
Over the course of 24 years of being kept in the basement, Josef brutally assaulted and sexually abhorred Elisabeth. The mother of seven children, as a result of the many incidents of rape, one of whom passed away within a short time after the birth.
Her three kids were raised in the care of Josef and Rosemarie, who convinced his wife to believe that they had been left on the doorstep of his “missing” daughter, who could not care for the children. However, the remaining three kids were raised by Elisabeth in the basement.
On April 26th, 2008, Josef was taken into custody after Elisabeth admitted the truth to the police. They allowed her to get out of the basement every year due to her oldest daughter, Kerstin, needing medical care.
Where Is Elisabeth Fritzl Now?
Elisabeth Fritzl was finally reunited with her children, who had been raised with Josef as well as Rosemarie. The family received help from the local psychiatric centre and was transferred to a house with two floors and strict security in a tiny Austrian village.
The house is equipped with cameras, gates controlled by CCTV, and trees that block the windows. Elisabeth developed an obsession with cleanliness soon after she was released from the cellar, and she now showers 10 times per day.
The community is aware of the family’s struggles and has provided them with unwavering assistance that has brought some order to their life.
Elizabeth’s children, who grew up with her parents, went to regular schools while she taught the three kids who resided with her. No matter if the children were raised “upstairs” or “downstairs,” their world was smashed down in April 2008, and they needed to undergo mental health treatment.
They are all adults, aged between 17 and 31. The three children who were separated from Elisabeth have begun to see her as their mom, and the siblings have formed an uneasy relationship. The residents of the area have described them as cheerful and courteous.
Elisabeth had a difficult time thinking that her mother, Rosemarie, was unaware of what was going on with her. This caused some tension between the mother and daughter. In the end, Elisabeth has been able to trust her once more, as well as the mother and daughter have begun having time together as a family.
In the case of Elisabeth, it was reported in 2019 that she “found love” with her bodyguard, Thomas Wagner, who is 23 years younger than her. The psychiatric caregivers said that the relationship had given her new energy and helped her heal.
This is evident from the fact that she’s been able to cut back on the counselling sessions she had to undergo to treat the condition known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Today, Thomas lives with Elisabeth and her six children.
Elisabeth is a social butterfly and enjoys meeting people who live in her neighbourhood and enjoys shopping and travelling. She is a mother to her children and is engaged in the lives of their children.
