The End in Sight
Fritzl often threatened his captives that they would be killed if they ever tried to escape. He told them he created a system of doors that would give them electric shocks if they ever tried to open them, and if they tried to escape, a poison would be released that killed them instantly. Josef continued to abuse Elisabeth physically and held her and the kids prisoner for another six years.
After almost a quarter of a century trapped under the ground, things finally took a turn. In April 2008, Elisabeth's eldest child, Kerstin, got sick at 19 years old. Josef tried to help her with over-the-counter medication, but nothing was working. He knew she would die without real medical attention.
