HollandGerrit Jan van Dorsten cut off contact with relatives from the 1980s and three of the children fled before he moved to the hideout farm.

In a release on October 17, close relatives have just released new information about Gerrit Jan van Dorsten, who was discovered living with six children for nine years in the basement of a remote farm in Ruinerwold village, Drenthe Province, northeastern Netherlands.

They said Gerrit had severed "all ties" with his "biological family" since the 1980s and told them not to try to find him. According to Gerrit's cousin, he left because there were many conflicts with his family.

Gerrit lived in Hasselt, Belgium, before moving to a farm in the Netherlands. However, eight years ago, his three eldest sons fled from their fathers and contacted brothers and relatives from Gerrit's previous marriage, and from then on they no longer knew anything about siblings. rest.

"Our family was very scared to hear about the Ruinerwold incident. A few days ago a family member informed us of the identity of the family discovered," the statement said. .

Gerrit's three oldest children are expected to issue a statement soon.

The 67-year-old was arrested on October 17 by police on charges of depriving him of freedom, damaging his health and money laundering. Josef Brunner, 58, a farm keeper and neighbor of the Gerrit family, has also been arrested on charges of illegal detention.

The family of 7 was discovered after 25-year-old son Jan Zon van Dorsten, escaped, went to a bar to drink beer and revealed his life.

Janny Knol, the northern Dutch police chief, said yesterday that six children, two men and four women, were held in an "enclosed space" on the farm, divided into "small spaces". They rarely go out into the yard and are not allowed to step outside the farm fence. The victims, between the ages of 18 and 25, did not receive decent education but could still read and write Dutch.

Local media said at the time the police raided the farm, Gerrit was bedridden due to a stroke but it was unclear how long he had been in this condition. Geritt's children reacted "violently" when his father was arrested. When asked if they want to leave the farm, police chief Knol said it was "difficult to identify".

"You are looking from your own standard framework. The way they live may be normal for them. That's why we need the help of psychologists," she said.

The police are investigating whether the incident involves a religion or preaching but Gerrit was confirmed to have been a member of the Family Federation for Peace and Unification, commonly known as the Moonies, on 1980s. The sect says he is mentally ill and left the organization in 1987.

Derk van Dorsten, Gerrit's younger brother, remains a member of the church but says he has not been in contact with his brother since 1984. Suspected Brunner also knew Geritt through the Monnies and severed contact with his family. He also abandoned a Japanese wife and two twin daughters.

According to locals at a park, where the Van Dorsten family was cared for after leaving the farm, they moved in a circle every 30 minutes to perform a ritual believed to be religious. Moonies sect. A large amount of money was found on the farm, which is believed to come from Moonies donations.