London Sept 6 (ANI): The horrified mother of Phillip Garrido, the “American Fritzl”, who held a girl captive for 18 years and fathered two children with her, has said that she thought kidnapped victim Jaycee Lee Dugard was his daughter by a former lover.

Frail Patricia Garrido, 88, says she had no idea what was going on in Garrido’s life.

Speaking exclusively to the Sunday Mirror, Patricia told that her son introduced Dugard as “Allissa” and had no idea of her plight until police raided their California home last month.

She says: “Phillip and his elder brother Ron were good boys when growing up. But I always wished I could have had a daughter.

“So when ‘Allissa’ appeared one day it was amazing. I was pleased she was around. I was ill and in bed.

“She was a real angel. She was hard-working and helped out with Phillip’s printing business at home. I was spending most of my time in bed and Nancy was looking after me.”

Garrido told his mother that the two daughters he fathered with Dugard, who are now aged 15 and 11, were also from a previous relationship.

She says: “I’ve blocked out some of the memories, but I still remember the joy of having the children around. I saw all three girls as my granddaughters.”

She defended her daughter-in-law Nancy, who is accused alongside Garrido, saying she looked after her for two decades, bathing and feeding her.

“Nancy has a heart of gold and everyone seemed happy. Allissa was a very happy girl. I still call her Allissa because he never told me she was called Jaycee. I just didn’t think there was anything wrong with it,” Patricia said. (ANI)