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Child psychiatrist Michael Winterhoff (archive image)
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According to the »General-Anzeiger«, the Bonn public prosecutor's office has started investigations against the controversial bestselling author and child psychiatrist Michael Winterhoff.
A spokesman for the public prosecutor's office confirmed on request that an investigation was being carried out against “a child psychiatrist from Bonn” who was “active in the public domain”.
The background was several criminal charges against the doctor, said the spokesman.
"We are examining the allegations from every possible criminal law point of view." What exactly the child psychiatrist is charged with is the subject of the investigation.
The allegations, some of which were also raised in media reports, were "broadly based in terms of content," it said.
According to the »General-Anzeiger«, Winterhoff is said to have systematically diagnosed children without a detailed medical history.
In several cases, he allegedly prescribed psychotropic drugs without medical necessity.
In the past, Winterhoff had caused controversy with his developmental bestseller "Why Our Children Become Tyrants".
In it he criticized current educational models.
The doctor from Bonn has been a guest on several talk shows such as "Maischberger" and has given lectures across Europe.
After joint research, the Westdeutsche Rundfunk and the »Süddeutsche Zeitung« recently accused the child psychiatrist of dubious treatment methods.
Winterhoff denied the allegations.
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