Josef Fritzl, who fathered 7 children with his daughter over 24 years, seeks freedom

Josef Fritzl, aka 'The Cellar Monster,' the man who was jailed for imprisoning his daughter for 24 years and fathering seven children with her, may soon be out on the streets. As per Mirror UK, the depraved Austria man, after 15 years in jail, will be launching his bid for freedom next month.

Parole bid

As per the report, lawyers for Fritzl, who is now 89 years old, will submit a parole application in the next few weeks. They are reportedly confident that the incestuous man would be released.

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They argue that the 89-year-old is no longer a threat and poses no danger to society in his old age.

"We will start an action in March and call for parole and if the court rejects it we will appeal and, given his condition, I believe he will be released by next year. He wants to live close to where he previously did and he wants to live alone, but I think that is very unlikely given his age and condition. He would need a carer and none of his friends or family want to know," his lawyer Astrid Wagner told Daily Mirror.

Cellar Monster Josef Fritzl

Josef Fritzl's crime came to light in 2008 when a woman named Elisabeth Fritzl told police in the city of Amstetten, Lower Austria that her father had held her captive for 24 years.

An investigation into the allegation revealed that Josef had kept her imprisoned inside a concealed area in his house's cellar. During the 24 years of captivity, Josef raped and abused Elisabeth repeatedly, and fathered seven children. Of these, three children remained with their mother in the cellar, while Josef, along with his wife Rosemarie brought up three children. The seventh child died soon after birth, and Josef destroyed the body in an incinerator.

How did Josef Fritzl's wife not discover her captive daughter?

As per reports, Josef created what he called a "bunker" that was equipped with basic amenities like a toilet, bed, fridge, heating plate for food, etc. The entry to the cellar was concealed and could be opened with a keyless entry code.

Elisabeth went missing in 1984 when she was 18 years old and a missing report was filed by Rosemarie. However, Josef presented the police with letters he forced his daughter to write, in which she purportedly claimed to have run away. He convinced them that Elisabeth had joined a cult.

He also convinced his wife to raise three children he fathered by raping his daughter, telling her and social workers that the children were foundlings — children abandoned on the streets.

In 2008, Kerstin, Elisabeth and Josef's eldest daughter fell unconscious and had to be taken to the hospital. Eventually, Elisabeth pleaded to go see her daughter, and this was when she got in touch with the police. After a harrowing trial, on March 19, 2009, Josef Fritzl was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for 15 years.

(With inputs from agencies)