Two Croatian citizens, a 40-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman, have been convicted by the Varaždin County Court for serious violations of children’s rights. For criminal offenses that resulted in the deaths of two of their three children, each was sentenced to a unified prison term of 17 years.
It should be recalled that in the autumn of 2024, the bodies of two babies were discovered buried in the yard of a family home in Ljubelj Kalnički near Novi Marof. Their third child, now four years old, was placed under the care of the Social Welfare Center.
In the meantime, the couple had another child, who was taken into state custody immediately after being born in prison.
The spokesperson for the Varaždin County Court, Igor Pavlič, explained to Dnevnik.hr how the sentences were determined.
“Each of them was tried for three criminal offenses. For the more serious offenses, they received individual sentences of eight and nine years, while for the lesser offense they received a two-year sentence. All of these sentences were merged into a single prison term of 17 years,” Pavlič said.
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He emphasized that the parents were not charged with murder.
“They were not accused of knowingly and intentionally killing their children or consenting to their deaths, but rather of neglecting them, which resulted in death. As for the length of the sentence, that is a matter for lawmakers. Courts operate within the framework established by law, taking into account the degree of guilt as well as mitigating and aggravating circumstances,” Pavlič explained.
For neglect resulting in death, the prescribed sentence ranges from three to 15 years in prison, while in the case of the third child, who survived, the penalty ranges from one to five years.
Following the shocking discovery, the couple’s oldest child was removed from their custody, after which they were initially released to await trial while at liberty.
However, the woman later became pregnant again, raising concerns about the risk of reoffending, and both parents were returned to detention. After giving birth in prison, she reportedly refused medical examination and assistance, prompting a swift response from the Social Welfare Center, which immediately took custody of the newborn.
“With that, the risk of reoffending once again ceased to exist,” Judge Pavlič explained.
However, by decision of a higher court, the parents remain in custody due to the length of the non-final prison sentence. Both the defense and the prosecution have the right to appeal the verdict.
The family reportedly lived in isolation. According to one local resident, the father was known for walking around the village dressed in a long black robe and wearing a long beard. An acquaintance stated that several years ago he joined a religious sect, where he met his partner, and that the two married in a ceremony prescribed by the group.
According to the acquaintance, the man did not recognize the authority of the state or its laws and viewed the personal identification number (OIB) as the “mark of the beast.” The acquaintance also claimed that the man saw nothing wrong with the deaths of the children because he believed it was “the natural course of things” and “God’s will.”
The father reportedly cooperated with an organization known as the “Health Defense Organization.” The organization’s website is said to contain controversial advice on how to completely cure serious illnesses through “natural treatments,” including claims that garlic can cure breast cancer.
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Source: Kurir.rs Foto: Printscreen Facebook