The Kurim case remains one of the most shocking criminal stories in Czech history. In 2007, the abuse of an 8-year-old boy named Ondřej came to light in the most unexpected way, and what unfolded stunned the entire nation.
As someone from the Czech Republic, I remember vividly how this story dominated the news. For months, it was on the front page of every newspaper and at the top of every TV broadcast. People couldn’t stop talking about it, because it wasn’t just disturbing… it was almost surreal. The combination of child abuse, deception, and the bizarre story of Barbora Skrlová shook every Czech household. Even now, more than a decade later, thinking about it still gives me chills.
Key Points
- Barbora Skrlová lived under multiple false identities, first as a young girl named Anička and later as a 13-year-old boy called Adam.
- She was convicted as part of the abuse against her younger “brother” Ondřej.
- After serving her prison sentence, she changed her name and disappeared.
- The Kurim case remains infamous as one of the darkest criminal cases in the Czech Republic.
The Night It All Started
It was the evening of May 7, 2007, in the town of Kurim. Eduard, a father in the neighborhood, was checking the baby monitor for his child. But instead of seeing his son, he caught a glimpse of something straight out of a nightmare.
On the screen was a small boy, naked, lying on a concrete floor. His hands and feet were bound with tape, and he was eating food straight off the ground. Horrified, Eduard immediately called the police.
That boy turned out to be eight-year-old Ondřej Mauer. He had been locked in a bare room with almost no food or water. Most of the time, he was given raw meat to eat and forced to use a bucket as a toilet. It was inhumane in every sense of the word.
When firefighters forced the door open around 9:30 p.m., they found Ondřej lying face-down on the floor, surrounded by filth. He was naked, his hands bound tightly behind his back with tape, and his legs were cuffed in a crouched position.
His mother, Klára Mauerová, had tried to convince the police there was no child inside. At first, she claimed the only child she had was her daughter, Anička. But the screams coming from behind the locked door told a different story. As police demanded answers, Klára and her sister Kateřina panicked and tried to stop the firefighters from opening the door. When they finally did, the truth was undeniable.
The Extent of the Abuse
Over the next days and weeks, the horrifying details of Ondřej’s abuse came to light. He had been regularly locked in cages, beaten with belts and canes, and burned with cigarettes. His abusers held him underwater, cut him with knives, cursed him, and even forced him to hurt himself.
Neighbors and others in the community began sharing that Klára’s abuse of her son had been visible for at least six months. But no one could have imagined the full scale of what was really happening inside that house.
All three children, Ondřej, his brother Jakub, and the mysterious “Anička”, were moved into a children’s home on May 10. Just one day later, Klára was taken into custody. That very same evening, “Anička” vanished from the children’s home, setting off yet another strange twist in the case.
Who Was “Anička”?
At first, people thought she was simply Klára’s daughter. But the search for Anička quickly took a bizarre turn. On TV, the head of the Endangered Children’s Fund even suggested she might not be as young as she seemed.
Soon, a family friend revealed her true identity: “Anička” was not a little girl at all, but a 33-year-old woman named Barbora Skrlová.
The revelation shocked everyone. Barbora had been living as part of the family under a false identity, manipulating those around her. Then she disappeared again, only to resurface in Denmark, walking into the Czech embassy and admitting she had been pretending to be Anička. Days later, she vanished yet again. Eventually, in January 2008, she was arrested in Norway, this time living under the identity of a 13-year-old boy named Adam.
Trial and Sentencing
In early 2008, Barbora was extradited back to the Czech Republic. She initially tried to portray herself as a victim, claiming she had suffered abuse alongside Ondřej. But investigators eventually placed her among the perpetrators.
The long investigation concluded in April 2008, and the trial began in June. By October, the court in Brno handed down the sentences:
- Klára Mauerová received nine years in prison.
- Her sister Kateřina was sentenced to ten years.
- Barbora Skrlová, who had deceived authorities with her false identities, was sentenced to five years.
Where Is Barbora Skrlová Now?
Barbora Skrlová was released from prison in November 2011. She reportedly changed her name soon after and disappeared from public view. There were no parole restrictions, and authorities have not announced her current location.
As of today, her whereabouts remain unknown. Czech forums and local speculation often suggest she may be living somewhere in the Czech Republic or a neighboring country, probably in Austria, but there’s no verified public confirmation.
Why the Case Still Haunts the Czech Republic
The Kurim case is remembered not just because of the unimaginable abuse, but because of how surreal it felt. A mother and aunt hurting their own child, a woman in her thirties posing as a child named Anička and later as a boy named Adam, the discovery of the abuse by sheer accident… it all felt like something out of a horror movie.
I still remember those months in 2007 when every newspaper cover, every evening news broadcast, was filled with updates on the case. It dominated conversations at work, at school, at the dinner table. The whole country was shaken, and many people, myself included, still haven’t forgotten the feeling of disbelief and fear it brought.
Even now, more than 18 years later, the Kurim case stands as one of the most disturbing and unsettling chapters of Czech criminal history.
