Woman found ALIVE after decades locked in snake-infested cage in forest after her family condemned her as being mentally ill

Imprisoned wretch constantly bitten by mosquitoes, insects and snakes for decades

A MIDDLE-AGED woman has been locked up in a cage in a dense forest for more than a decade after her brother thought she was mentally unstable.

Disturbing photos of the 42-year-old woman named Xiong Simei have emerged after an 18-year-old student stumbled upon her and could not believe what she was seeing.

Xiao Junyu, found Xiong inside the shabby 43-square-foot) cage with little clothing to keep her warm and even less provisions to keep her fed.

The cage, which is situated about 150 yards from the village of Ganxi, in Zhenyuan County in south-western China’s Guizhou Province, is also locked with a padlock.

Turns out her own brother is her jailer.

Xiong’s brother, who was unnamed in reports, said that his sister began suffering from depression and mental illness in around 2000, when she was driven away by her then husband.

After returning home, her condition caused her to attack others and damage things, which caused him to lock her up while he went to work.

The brother was quoted as saying: “Our mother is a mute and our father died many years ago.

“Although the government gives us a 200-RMB (£23) per month subsidy, we are still too poor to afford treatment.”

After discovering Xiong’s dire state, the schoolgirl Xiao and several of her friends have been bringing warm clothes and food for the woman, who has yet to be let out of her cage.

Xiao said of the woman: “She tells me she can handle the cold weather because summer is much worse.

“She is often bitten by mosquitoes, insects and snakes.”

According to reports, local government officials have since been in touch and are expected to provide further assistance to the family.