Judith's parents met at a restaurant in Los Angeles that was well known as a meeting place for immigrants. Maria worked there as a waitress. Jozsef was a plumber. He had problems with alcohol and was arrested three times for driving drunk. In the first years of their marriage, they were a happy couple. Soon Jozsef became jealous of the success of Maria's daughter. When Judith was getting ready to go to the Bahamas for the movie "", her father entered her bedroom. He locked the door and put a kitchen knife to her neck saying: "If you do not return after finished shooting, I'll slit your throat." She came back after two months, but the atmosphere at the house was not better. Over time, there were more problems. Judith's father called her a "spoiled brat". Judith's mood began to get bad. She did not do anything wrong and was not "full of life, a happy girl." Unable to deal with the problems at home, Judith pulled out her eyelashes and the whiskers of her cat. Jozsef had said many times that he would kill his wife. Sometimes he said he would kill himself and his daughter. In December 1986, Maria made a report to the police. She said he was abusing her mentally and physically. The police saw no injuries. In May 1988, Ruth Hansen saw the poor condition of the girl. Because Judith cried a lot and could not speak, Hansen told Maria to take Judith to a psychologist. She was taken to Children's Services. They could get no help from government organizations. Maria rented an apartment in Panorama City, where she wanted to move with Judith. Hansen told her to get a divorce from her husband. In July, Maria said she did not want to lose the house purchased with the money from her daughter's career.