Age: 7
Date: 2002
Location: Brasov, Romănia
Animals: Dogs
Romanian Dog-Boy
Traian Caldarar is a Romanian boy who apparently lived wild, separated from his family, for three years. He is believed to have left the family home because of domestic violence. His mother, Lina Caldarar, said that she loved her son but had a violent partner, who was always beating her. When she lost Traian, she was distraught, and hoped he had perhaps been adopted by another family. She said: "When I fled, I lost contact with Traian, although I tried to get him back. He [the boy's father] didn't allow me to take my child, even though I tried to. He said the child belonged to him."
Traian Caldarar's developmental condition
Although aged seven when he was found, Traian Caldarar was only the size of a three-year-old, could not speak, and was naked and living in a cardboard box covered with a polythene sheet. He suffered from severe rickets, had infected injuries and his circulation was poor, possibly because of frostbite.
Living with dogs?
Doctors believe it would have been impossible for Traian to survive on his own and speculated that he received assistance from the many stray dogs in the Transylvanian countryside. He was found near the body of a dog that he had apparently been eating.
Found by a shepherd
Traian Caldarar was found after the car of a shepherd, Manolescu Ioan, broke down. Mr Ioan had to walk from his pastures and came across child who he reported to police, who later captured the boy.
Train Caldarar's wild ways
Traian walked with the bandy gait of a chimpanzee and tried to sleep under his bed rather than on it. Dr Mircea Florea said: "He was found in an animal position and his movements are animalistic. The facts show that he was not brought up in a social environment. He becomes very agitated when he does not have food. He is looking for something to eat all the time. He sleeps after he eats."
Coincidence?
Brasov is not a stranger to feral children: that's where the Wolf-boy of Kronstadt comes from.