Ran Away to Join a Cult
Then, a conveniently timed letter arrived in the mail addressed to the Fritzl family from "Elisabeth." In it, she confessed in writing that she was tired of living under her family's rules and had no choice but to run away.
Of course, the letter and the runaway story were nothing more than a coverup created by Josef, forcing Elisabeth to write the letter in her handwriting. This time, Josef changed the story and told people that Elisabeth must have run away to join a religious cult. Since she was an adult now, there was nothing they could do to bring her back—and everyone believed him.
