Enlarge image
Trial in Magdeburg
Photo: Peter Gercke / dpa
Three educators are accused of negligent homicide: At the beginning of October 2020, a two-year-old boy disappeared on an excursion with his daycare group and drowned in Neustädter See in Magdeburg.
The teachers at the age of 60, 23 and 31 years did not comment on the allegations at the start of the trial at the Magdeburg District Court.
They are accused of neglecting their duty to supervise.
Prosecutor Martina Klein read in her indictment in great detail what happened on that fateful October 2, 2020. The three teachers of an integrative day care center in the north of Magdeburg were on this day from 10 a.m. on their way to Neustädter See with a group of 17 children between the ages of two and four years. Eight children used exercise bikes, three walked and six sat in a handcart. The children played in the sand by the lake.
About an hour and a half later, the teachers and the group started their way back to the daycare center.
After they got back from the excursion, the teachers found around 11:45 a.m. that a two-year-old boy was missing.
The search for little Adam, who was found lifeless in the water at 1:22 p.m., began immediately.
Resuscitation measures initiated immediately were unsuccessful.
The public prosecutor's office accused the three caregivers that it was apparent that a small child on the beach, especially unsupervised, could have fallen into the water.
The teachers should have kept an eye on the children and made sure that the children stayed together.
Instead, the two-year-old boy was left alone at the lake.
One educator let it be known through her lawyer that she admitted all charges.
She does not know how and when the accident happened, but the fact is that it happened.
You make the most serious reproaches.
The woman followed the statements with bowed head and tears in her eyes, looking visibly affected.
She is currently unable to tell, but may want to answer questions later in the process.
Forensic doctor Kerstin Janke determined without a doubt the death by drowning.
She described the signs of this in detail.
Witness fought back tears
The head of the day-care center then reported on the customs in the facility.
The teachers shared responsibility for excursions.
In each case, one teacher has a special focus on the children in the car, another on the running bike children, and the third on the pedestrians.
On the way, responsibilities could change if the children switch from the pram to the balance bike, for example.
The boy was finally found during a large-scale search operation in which the police also took part with a helicopter.
He was lying lifeless on the grounds of a waterskiing facility.
One witness fought back tears as she described how she found the two-year-old.
Carelessness observed
She said that as a jumper, she had seen negligence in the daycare in the past.
Sometimes the safest route in traffic was not chosen or there were too many children on balance bikes so that the teachers could not react to dangerous reactions in traffic.
The younger colleagues had not been in the facility that long and had subordinated themselves to the older teacher.
The boy's father takes part in the trial as a joint plaintiff.
On his behalf, his lawyer announced that the family was ready to forgive.
wit / dpa