A couple has been confined with their children since the Covid crisis and they are sentenced to prison for taking the children out of school

File photo of a woman looking out the window of her home while she remains confined due to the coronavirus crisis, in 2020. EFE/Brais Lorenzo

On March 17, 2020, when France was in full lockdown due to the pandemic Covid-19a family from the town of Méjannes-le-Clap, in the Gard region, decided isolate oneself from the outside world in a radical way. While most citizens gradually resumed their lives after the end of restrictive measures, this couple, together with their three childrenhe locked himself in his house and never came out again.

During four yearsthe house remained with the windows sealed with plastic and the shutters always closed, creating an airtight environmentFor the parents, the outside was a threat, a posture that was pointed out by the authorities as a behavior conspiratorial y antisocial.

This isolation also seriously affected the education of the three minors – then aged ten, eight and five – who stopped attending school in 2020 and did not receive any type of academic training. National Educationwho had attempted to contact the family on multiple occasions, was consistently rejected.

Finally, in May 2024, in the face of the lack of cooperation and the risk to the children’s well-being, social services intervened, separating the minors from their parents. The children, without adequate educational or health care for years, were described by psychologists as “empty shells”.

The extreme isolation to which the three children were subjected not only deprived them of formal education, but also immersed them in the beliefs Conspiracy from their parents. They rejected all contact with state institutions and openly questioned the educational system, which they described as a “private enterprise.” Among the ideas they instilled in their children was the belief that Earth is flat and is covered by a dome, and that Moon does not exista set of theories that child psychology experts considered highly detrimental to the development of minors.

Parents, described as individuals who “question the entire system,” refused any kind of interaction with the authorities, including visits from the Academic Inspectorate and medical professionals. Child Protection He described the parents as people with whom “it is not possible to work” because they considered the outside world as a constant enemy.

Both parents were summoned to appear before the Criminal Court of Alès for failing to fulfil their parental obligations, particularly in relation to the education of their children. However, the couple refused to attend both the first court hearing and other previous appointments with the Child Protection Agency. Finally, on 5 September, they were tried in absentia and sentenced to one year of suspended imprisonment. Despite the authorities’ attempts to enforce the law, the parents maintained their position of total isolationkeeping their home with the windows and shutters closed, which has made it difficult to even confirm whether they were still residing there.

On the other hand, the three children were placed under state guardianship and, after their separation from their parents, they showed signs of improvement. In this regard, the Social Assistance for Children reported that, by freeing themselves from the conspiratorial ideas instilled by their parents, the minors have begun to recover their emotional stability. In addition, the minors have returned to school this new school year.

This year’s ‘back to school’ will mean an increase in the bill of around 10%, mainly in the budget dedicated to school supplies and clothing (Europa Prees)