A Dutch family lived in isolation on a secluded farm for nine years “waiting for the end of time” until they were discovered this weekend when one of them escaped to a local bar — where he drank five beers, according to reports.
The bizarre living situation of a 58-year-old man and a group of six siblings — aged 18 to 25 — was discovered when the eldest of the young adults turned up at a pub in Ruinerworld, according to local outlet RTV.
At the bar, he ordered and downed the five ales — and asked for help, the BBC reported.
“I had a chat with him and he revealed he had run away and needed help … ” the bar owner, Chris Westerbeek, recalled to the outlet.
“He had long hair, a dirty beard, wore old clothes and looked confused.”
Westerbeek said he called police, who were led to an out-of-the-way farm in the rural province of Drenethe where they discovered the family in a hidden basement.
RTV reported the family was living in isolation “waiting for the end of time.”
Authorities arrested the 58-year-old man, who isn’t believed to be the father of the young adults, but does rent the farm from the land owner, Ruinerwold Mayor Roger de Groot told the Dutch News.
It’s unclear what happened to the siblings’ mother.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said de Groot.
The family appeared to sustain themselves with a vegetable garden and goat on the farm, Dutch News reported.
“He said he’d never been to school and hadn’t been to the barber for nine years,” Westerbeek told BBC.
“He said he had brothers and sisters who lived at the farm. He said he was the oldest and wanted to end the way they were living.”
A neighbor of the farm recalled to the Telegraaf how the 58-year-old man would keep a close eye for any trespassers, the Dutch News reported.
“You only had to come close to the property and he would send you away. He used binoculars to keep an eye on everything,” the neighbor said.
