Hiker finds mentally-ill woman caged for 25 years by neighbours

Jedah Curacha Naquines was hiking through Cebu, Philippines when she noticed a woman inside a concrete cage. The steel door was shut so she thought that the woman may be trapped inside. Eventually, she realised the woman had been locked in. It was revealed that the woman, called Manol by her neighbours, had been kept locked for her own safety. She was allegedly abandoned by her father and had no relatives to care for her. Naquines took to Facebook on Tuesday, August 25 to appeal for any form of help to give the woman a better life.

Naquines was enjoying her hike when she came across a small concrete structure with a metal gate. She saw a woman standing inside the cage. At first, the hiker thought the woman was trapped so she tried to speak to her and offer help. However, she soon realised that the woman had some kind of mental illness. The woman stood in the dilapidated cage staring at the wall and muttering to herself.

Upon questioning locals in Owak, Asturias Cebu, she found out that the 45-year-old woman had been in the cage for around 25 years. The woman had no husband or children. She previously lived under the care of her mother who passed away. Her father abandoned her and went away from the village to find work. Neighbours found her when she was about to get hit by a truck and locked her in the makeshift cage for her safety.

On Facebook, Naquines wrote that the neighbours took turns to bring the woman food. She lives in the shed which was turned into a cage that is attached to the home where her family used to live.

Disturbed by the condition of the woman, Naquines decided to do something about it. She first went to a nearby village looking for help. Failing to get any assistance, she took to social media to spread the story in order to find any relevant help. According to The Sun, the determined woman is now in touch with local government bodies to ensure that Manol gets the medical attention she requires. Naquines is focused on helping the woman who is the victim of the lack of mental health awareness in remote parts of the country.