‘Covid syndrome’ explained after parents with condition jailed for keeping kids in ‘house of horrors’
Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse, which some readers may find distressing.
'Covid syndrome' is allegedly the reason why two parents kept their young children locked in a 'house of horrors' in Spain – but what does it mean?
In April 2025, German Christian Steffen, 54, and his American-born Melissa Ann Steffen, 49, were arrested in Oviedo, Spain, after it emerged the couple were keeping their three children 'held captive' inside the family home for four years due to fear of Covid-19.
It's understood that the family had remained inside their property since December 2021 and were continuing to follow regulations brought in during the pandemic, even though restrictions in Spain had lifted in March 2022.
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The parents were charged with domestic violence, habitual psychological abuse and child abandonment, with an update in the case revealing the pair have now been jailed for nearly three years.
Their children have since been placed under the care of child protective services and are receiving medical care and treatment from psychologists.
'Covid syndrome' explained
Also known as COVID Anxiety Syndrome (CAS), VeryWellMind describes the condition as an extreme concern about the respiratory virus, which led to global lockdowns throughout 2020.
Symptoms of Covid Syndrome include:
- compulsively checking for symptoms of COVID
- avoidance of public places
- obsessive cleaning
- maladaptive behaviours
- have trouble thinking about anything other than COVID
It was also noted that someone with CAS might find that their anxiety interferes with their everyday life and that they isolate themselves when it's not necessary.
Physical symptoms might come in the form of frequent headaches, stomach aches and trouble sleeping.
The health site adds that people with Covid syndrome are more likely to experience post-traumatic stress, general stress, anxiety, health anxiety, and possibly suicidal thoughts.
What causes 'Covid syndrome'?
VeryWellMind adds that 'isolation, fear of contracting COVID-19, and uncertainty throughout the pandemic' is likely to have increased the risk of people developing the condition.
It has also been suggested that people with a higher level of neuroticism, a 'Big 5' personality trait describing negative emotions, have a higher chance of developing covid syndrome, as well as people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
The World Health Organisation (WHO) previously warned about the devastating impact the pandemic was having on people's mental health.
Speaking in 2022, it was revealed that there had been a 25 percent increase in anxiety and depression worldwide, believed to have been caused by lockdown.
"The information we have now about the impact of COVID-19 on the world’s mental health is just the tip of the iceberg," Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said of this at the time.
In the Steffen case, prosecutors said the three children, eight-year-old twins and a 10-year-old, didn't know their relatives and hadn't been outside in four years, not even into their own backyard.
"As a result of these events, the children suffer from social dystocia, which will delay their incorporation into social relationships appropriate for their age," prosecutors added.
Meanwhile, the parents' defence counsel argued that the couple had taken a series of ‘probably wrong but not criminal decisions and rejected the ‘house of horrors’ description of the property.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.
Topics: Coronavirus, Health
Brenna Cooper