Father in Klatovy Region Beat Children with a Whip and Starved Them on Bread and Water

In the Klatovy region, a man systematically abused his children — beating them with a whip and forcing them to survive on bread and water for days at a time until they begged for forgiveness. Police are now investigating the case, and the 53-year-old father has been charged with child abuse.

According to the investigation, the children were subjected to excessive physical punishment and psychological pressure. "They didn't feel safe, they were afraid of their father, and they found no protection even from their mother. At the same time, it's clear these are very well-behaved and obedient children," reads the court ruling issued by Judge Martina Šimánková.

In the judge's view, letting the children remain in this family any longer would be harmful to their normal development. Relatives describe the man as a hot-tempered household tyrant — according to them, everything at home had to happen strictly according to his will. The father followed an extremely strict upbringing style that, experts say, crossed every reasonable limit; specialists note he frequently lost control of himself.

Investigators reportedly paid particular attention to the abuse of the couple's underage son: after receiving a note from school, the boy was given 15 lashes with the whip and ended up in the hospital. Witnesses say the father called the children "pigs" and threatened to burn them.

During group punishments, the children were made to line up and take turns being struck with a large wooden dough paddle. Bruises and welts were found on their bodies.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz