DetachedCriteriaSubqueryExample.java

public List<Mother> find(String aProperty){
  
  Session session = getSession(); // Create hibernate session
  
  Criteria motherCrit = s.createCriteria(Mother.class); 
  
  // Create sub query
  DetachedCriteria childListCrit = DetachedCriteria.forClass(Child.class);
  childListCrit.add(Restrictions.eq("aProperty", aProperty));
  childListCrit.setProjection(Projections.distinct(Projections.property("mother.id")));
  motherCrit.add(Subqueries.propertyIn("id", childListCrit));
  
  return motherCrit.list();
}