Blanche Monnier was born in the middle of the 19th Century into a bourgeois family in the French city of Poitiers, where her father was the dean at the university. A timid child, she struggled with insecurity throughout her teenage years. She didn’t get along well with her mother and suffered from bouts of anorexia.
By the age of 25, Blanche had grown up to be a charming young woman. She had fallen madly in love with a lawyer and word soon spread about their relationship throughout the neighborhood. However, Blanche’s mother didn’t approve of her daughter’s suitor as he was too old and didn’t earn enough money.
Blanche’s mother was so enraged that she locked her daughter in the attic. She refused to let her out unless Blanche renounced her love for the struggling lawyer.
Blanche remained steadfast — to unimaginable lengths.
It took 25 years for Blanche to be freed. When the police received an anonymous letter detailing Blanche’s captivity, they decided to investigate. After forcing their way into Blanche’s room, the police officers were met by a truly shocking scene.
The room was bathed in darkness, the terrible smell suffocating. Naked and withered, Blanche lay on the bed surrounded by dirt, cockroaches, leftover food, and her own excrement. Frightened, she hid her head under the sheets.
The windows were sealed and locked; Blanche hadn’t seen sunlight for a quarter of a century. Now age 49, she weighed a mere 55 lbs. Blanche had shouted for help many times, but no one came to her aid.
Expressionless throughout, Blanche’s mother died several days after the trial. Though Blanche managed to put on some weight, she never recovered her sanity. She passed away 12 years later in a psychiatric unit.
Watch the video to find out more about Blanche’s terrifying story:
It’s crazy to think that a mother could go to such lengths to destroy her daughter’s life and keep her locked up for so many years. It’s also incredible that no one came to Blanche’s rescue despite her many pleas for help. Denied being with the man she wanted, her life took an unimaginably tragic turn. What a heartbreaking and horrific story!
