Amidst the digital signals of distress emanating from a concerned young man regarding the dire circumstances faced by his friend residing within a social care home in central Romania, Georgiana Pascu swiftly orchestrated an impromptu visit to assess the facility’s condition firsthand.
“At the outset, we were almost convinced there was nothing amiss,” recounted Pascu, a program manager at the Center for Legal Resources, an advocacy organization. She recounted that just a day prior, governmental authorities had conducted an inspection of the care home for elderly and disabled individuals, apparently flagging no red flags or concerns.
Yet, upon entering the care home located in the village of Bardesti, Pascu and her colleagues were confronted by a reality that could only be described as “appalling…inhumane.”
“There was a young woman, frail and malnourished, lying motionless on the basement floor,” she recounted to The Associated Press. “Beside her, another young woman wept, her plea for water echoing in the air.”
The nongovernmental organization’s exploration unveiled a shocking scene in late July: six residents inhabiting the cluttered basement of the Little House of Min, enveloped by construction materials, and an additional 23 occupants occupying the upper levels. Four residents, grappling with severe disabilities, lay upon mattresses tarnished by “excrement, urine, and blood, swarmed by flies,” described the organization, asserting that these individuals were unable to defend themselves or solicit assistance.
Without hesitation, the Center for Legal Resources trio urgently summoned emergency services, and law enforcement and medical responders soon converged on the scene. Astonishingly, even these first responders deemed the situation alarming enough to warrant additional backup, as relayed by Pascu. After some time, a resident divulged a hidden corner – an isolated chamber bereft of natural illumination, inhabited by two individuals, with a solitary bed as their sole possession.
This revelation by the NGO promptly set in motion a legal inquiry, echoing prior revelations involving other private institutions. These unsettling revelations have led to the resignation of two Cabinet members, sparking what the Romanian media has branded as the “horror homes” scandal.
This grim discovery is only the latest chapter in a series of shocking unveilings that have dominated headlines in local media, casting a stark spotlight on the corrosive effects of corruption upon the socially vulnerable within Romania, a nation that entered the European Union in 2007.
Among the prerequisites for Romania’s EU membership was a concerted effort to eradicate systemic corruption, yet it remains one of the EU’s most tainted members according to Transparency International.
The scene of police raids in early July, spanning three separate care homes in Ilfov County near Bucharest, provided a haunting glimpse into widespread maltreatment and disregard endured by older and disabled individuals. Startling images emerged, depicting residents tethered to beds in squalid quarters, revealing signs of physical abuse and alarming emaciation.
Investigating these occurrences, Romania’s anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, detailed the formation of two criminal syndicates in 2020, specifically targeting individuals with disabilities or those in vulnerable positions. Accusations spanned human trafficking and other grave charges. Prosecutors underscored a pattern of unpaid labor, coerced through manipulation and physical violence, all while residents were deprived of sufficient sustenance.
A criminal probe was launched, encompassing over 20 suspects implicated in the affair.
Following the uncovering of the dire conditions at the Little House of Min, DIICOT apprehended three individuals, alleging their involvement in establishing a criminal gang in 2020, systematically engaged in human trafficking and subjecting residents to “inhumane and degrading treatment” through physical and psychological aggression.
Crucially, it was revealed that residents fell prey to exploitation, seemingly ensnared by an association that siphoned their state benefits payments or monetary contributions from acquaintances and family. Instead of being channeled towards the well-being of the residents, these funds were predominantly diverted “for the benefit of the group members.”
Two local officials found themselves dismissed from their positions as a direct result of the uncovered distressing revelations, leading the authorities to take the drastic measure of shutting down the implicated care home.
The Associated Press reached out to the concerned young man who had alerted Georgiana Pascu about the alarming conditions within the Little House of Min. However, due to his role as a victim in the ongoing legal proceedings, he was unable to comment.
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Doru Constantin, a representative of Mures County’s social services, corroborated the fact that inspectors had indeed conducted an assessment of the Little House of Min the day prior to the NGO’s startling discovery. However, their access was limited, preventing them from delving into the basement of the building.
“It’s truly difficult to fathom that such a distressing situation could unfold within our county,” Constantin expressed with disbelief.
The nation’s President, Klaus Iohannis, minced no words, branding these revelations a “national disgrace.” He fervently asserted that immediate action must be taken to “eradicate the root causes of this evil.”
Allegations by DIICOT have painted a harrowing picture of one of the administrators of an Ilfov care home, who is accused of squandering residents’ funds on illicit activities such as prostitution, narcotics, and lavish parties. Additionally, this individual faces an inquiry into potential abuse of office, conducted by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate. Interestingly, two social inspectors who had conducted seemingly favorable evaluations of the home in May are also undergoing scrutiny for possible corruption.
The far-reaching impact of this scandal was felt even at the highest echelons of the government, resulting in the resignation of Family Minister Gabriel Firea and Labor Minister Marius Budai. Both individuals, however, vehemently denied any prior awareness of the dire state of the care homes.

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The dire circumstances have resonated beyond Romania’s borders. Alin Mituta, a Romanian legislator in the European Parliament, posed a pointed question to the European Commission in July: Would an investigation be launched into Romania’s deeply unsettling issue of abusive care homes, which, he argued, flagrantly contravened the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union? Mituta contended that despite the Romanian authorities’ knowledge of these problems, no concrete steps had been taken.
Offering an official response, European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper conveyed the Commission’s grave concern over the case. She firmly asserted that mistreatment of vulnerable individuals has no place within the EU. However, due to ongoing investigations, she refrained from elaborating further.
The recent disclosures have reignited memories of Romania’s dark past, specifically the communist-era orphanages that garnered international attention following the execution of communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989. The early 1990s witnessed the broadcast of distressing visuals, depicting multitudes of forsaken children dwelling in squalid conditions within these orphanages.
Bianca Albu, an investigative journalist hailing from Romania, along with her colleague Ovidiu Vanghele, was instrumental in bringing to light the concerns surrounding the Ilfov care homes approximately six months ago. She recalled that initially, their report had failed to garner any significant response from local or national authorities. Albu expressed deep concern that such issues might be pervasive throughout the entirety of Romania, likening it to an insidious affliction that knows no bounds.
“It’s akin to a spreading ailment,” Albu poignantly remarked. In response to the unearthing of these distressing practices, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu extended gratitude to the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that had been instrumental in unveiling these abuses within the welfare system. He conceded that it was evident that the Romanian state required external assistance and underlined the imperative of closing this disheartening chapter of abuse once and for all.
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