Woman imprisons grandmom for monthly benefit money

LONDON - A German woman imprisoned her grandmother for three years in one room in pitch darkness so that she could lay her hands on the benefit money the woman received every month.

Iris Edelmann, 49, who imprisoned her 96-year-old grandmother, Elsa Koenig, sealed the windows in her flat in Leipzig with tape, foil and heavy dark felt.

There was a lavatory but no electricity in the room, no TV, radio or light, The Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday.

When neighbours heard her cries, they informed police who freed Koenig.

“She did all this to get the 600-odd euros ($790) a month in benefits that her grandmother was entitled to,” said prosecutor Gitty Pfeiffer at the start of her trial in Leipzig, Germany.

The court heard how the granddaughter, a qualified engineer, was appointed the legal custodian of Koenig when her health began to fail in 2001, which also included taking charge of her finances.

But in 2006, reportedly fed up with looking after her, Edelmann rented a cheap flat and locked her grandmother in it.

“The unfortunate old lady vegetated away in fear and loneliness and bewilderment in this dwelling while she (Edelmann) spent the money that should have gone on her proper care,” the prosecution said.

“The only thing she did for her was to bring her food.”

When police broke into the flat, they found her in an “appalling state - apathetic, disoriented, dirty and malnourished”, according to the police report.

Her granddaughter was arrested the same day. However, the old woman died in May 2009.

If found guilty of depriving her grandmother of her liberty, the accused faces up to five years in jail.