“It was good for the peace in the village of Pragsdorf,” says Robert Schulze. His answer concerns the question of how the family of a now 15-year-old moved away after his arrest affected the small village west of Neubrandenburg. When this boy was still 14 years old, he did something that no one in the village or beyond can understand – he killed little Joel (6).
The boy’s T-shirt reflected the flashlight light
Table of Contents
- 1 The boy’s T-shirt reflected the flashlight light
- 2 In the end, the 15-year-old confessed to the crime
- 3 Memorial at the football field commemorates Joel
- 4 Life in Pragsdorf is returning to normal
- 5 Choking challenge was the trigger
- 6 Will he perhaps be released in five years?
- 7 Here are some People Also Ask (PAA) questions related to the title “The Unthinkable Tragedy in Pragsdorf: A 14-Year-Old Kills 6-Year-Old Joel”:
The six-year-old disappeared on September 14, 2023, and a few hours later it was clear: he had been killed. Robert Schulze is part of the fire department of the village of Pragsdorf, which has 580 inhabitants, and found the little boy’s body in a hiding place of the perpetrator in the bushes not far from the soccer field and the idyllic beach on the lake. Joel was wearing a T-shirt with something reflective on it, which was noticeable in the light of the flashlight, Schulze recalls.
About 14 days after the death of little Joel, the perpetrator (right) was arrested. (Photo: Felix Gadewolz/NK-Archive)
“I’ve now closed the case,” says the Pragsdorf resident, who lives within sight of the prefab building where Joel’s family lives. “You sometimes see them walking along here,” says Schulze. Like him, many of the firefighters who were looking for the little boy at the time have received pastoral care, which has given them a lot.
It took around two weeks for the then 14-year-old perpetrator, who also lived in one of the five prefabricated buildings in Pragsdorf, to be arrested. A year ago, the town in the suburbs of Neubrandenburg suddenly became the focus of national attention. At the time, countless camera teams literally besieged the residents, some of whom no longer wanted to talk to reporters.
In the end, the 15-year-old confessed to the crime
Then came the trial at the Neubrandenburg Regional Court, where the judge released the defendant from custody for about two weeks after his birthday in February 2024, which caused great outrage and incomprehension. In the end, the MV Higher Regional Court reversed the release. And almost at the end of the trial, after a kind of war of nerves, the now 15-year-old finally confessed to the unbelievable act of violence. On May 2, 2024, he was sentenced to seven years and nine months in prison for murder with malice, which he is currently serving in the youth prison in Neustrelitz.
The criminal chamber in the Neubrandenburg regional court – the trial against the perpetrator took place behind closed doors. (Photo: Felix Gadewolz)
“Life has been slowly returning to normal since then,” says Mayor Ralf Opitz (independent). But this day – September 14th – will certainly remain in the back of many people’s minds. “A verdict that one can live with,” Opitz called the punishment at the time. The terrible incident will always be associated with Pragsdorf – even if it has now largely been pushed out of people’s everyday lives.
Memorial at the football field commemorates Joel
Joel’s parents had followed the trial, which was held behind closed doors, as co-plaintiffs in the courtroom and were particularly pleased that the perpetrator had actually been convicted of murder. Joel’s family had only moved from Rostock to the small town on federal highway 104 a few years ago. They had arranged for the boy’s ceremonial burial to take place in a funeral hall in Neubrandenburg, after which the body was buried in a small circle at another location on the coast.
The path to the memorial site is now almost overgrown. (Photo: Winfried Wagner)
In Pragsdorf, a small memorial in the bushes by the football field still commemorates the crime. The path to it has become almost overgrown in the weeks and months that have passed. But several mourning candles, small memorial stones and a cross remind us that the six-year-old boy died here. Joel’s school class also left a memory.
Life in Pragsdorf is returning to normal
In Pragsdorf, people have now returned to their everyday lives. Slurry trucks roll through the village, the roof of a house is being repaired, and plans are being made to build another area for eight houses. With around 125 children and young people, around a quarter of the residents are young. That is why the community center – directly opposite fireman Schulze – is to be renovated for around half a million euros. In addition to the community center, there will also be a youth club here again – like before. The next dates are already posted on the noticeboard: Anglerskat, October bonfire and then the Christmas parties – all organized by the community, the fishing club and the fire department.
“Life is slowly returning to normal,” says Pragsdorf’s mayor Ralf Opitz (independent). (Photo: NK montage with pictures by Tim Prahle and Felix Gadewolz)
“We want village life to continue and people to meet as often as possible,” says Schulze. The 40-year-old has drawn very practical conclusions from the psychological support he received after Joel’s death. He and his colleagues have to respond more often to accidents that occur on the nearby A20. The firefighters sometimes see terrible images there. In the future, they want to deal with this better with pastoral care.
Choking challenge was the trigger
Despite all the action, people in the town are also thinking about what will happen when the 15-year-old convicted man is released. He had confessed to strangling the six-year-old until he lost consciousness in the bushes near the football pitch and then stabbing him to death with a knife. He committed the crime alone.
The strangulation was based on a notorious “challenge” that had spread among young people, including on the online platform Tiktok. In this challenge, the other person is choked by the neck – in addition to a competition to see who can hold their breath longer. When little Joel came to after the first strangulation, he is said to have insulted the older man and threatened to tell his parents about the whole thing. The perpetrator had killed Joel at the time, probably out of fear of being discovered, and then fled.
Will he perhaps be released in five years?
According to information from the Nordkurier, the youth is currently doing quite well in the Neustrelitz youth prison. The 15-year-old is also supposed to take part in therapy in prison. It is conceivable – if one takes into account the prison practice in Germany – that he could be released in about five years. It is usual for prisoners – if they behave well – to apply for early release after about two-thirds of their sentence has been served, with the remainder of the sentence being suspended.
The convicted man is serving his sentence in the Neustrelitz youth prison. (Photo: NK Archive)
According to the Neubrandenburg public prosecutor’s office, the case has been legally closed in all respects. “It was a lot of work, especially going against the ideas of the criminal court,” explains senior public prosecutor Andreas Lins. There are now no further investigations in this connection, not even in connection with Joel’s siblings or the convicted man.
The Unthinkable Tragedy in Pragsdorf: A 14-Year-Old Kills 6-Year-Old Joel
In the small village of Pragsdorf, located west of Neubrandenburg, a sense of peace has finally returned after a year of turmoil and tragedy. On September 14, 2023, a 6-year-old boy named Joel was brutally killed by a 14-year-old perpetrator, sending shockwaves throughout the community. The incident drew national attention, with camera teams swarming the village, seeking answers to the incomprehensible act of violence.
The Fateful Night
Joel, wearing a reflective T-shirt, was last seen on the evening of September 14, 2023. His body was later discovered in a hiding place near the soccer field and idyllic beach on the lake, just a few hours after his disappearance. Robert Schulze, a member of the fire department and a Pragsdorf resident, was part of the search party that found Joel’s lifeless body. The reflective material on Joel’s T-shirt had reflected the flashlight light, leading the searchers to the gruesome discovery.
The Arrest and Trial
The perpetrator, also a resident of Pragsdorf, was arrested 14 days after the crime. The trial, held behind closed doors at the Neubrandenburg Regional Court, was a long and arduous process. At one point, the judge released the defendant from custody for two weeks, causing outrage among the community. However, the MV Higher Regional Court eventually reversed the release. After a grueling trial, the now 15-year-old perpetrator finally confessed to the heinous crime and was sentenced to seven years and nine months in prison for murder with malice.
The Aftermath
The village of Pragsdorf, with a population of just 580 inhabitants, was left reeling from the tragedy. The trial was attended by Joel’s parents as co-plaintiffs, who were relieved that the perpetrator was convicted of murder. Mayor Ralf Opitz described the punishment as “a verdict that one can live with.” While life has largely returned to normal, the incident will always be etched in the memories of the residents of Pragsdorf.
A Memorial to Joel
A memorial has been erected at the football field to commemorate Joel’s life. His family had moved to Pragsdorf from Rostock just a few years prior to the tragedy. The incident has left an indelible mark on the community, and while it has largely been pushed out of everyday life, it will always be remembered as a day of unspeakable horror.
the killing of 6-year-old Joel by a 14-year-old perpetrator in Pragsdorf was a tragedy that shook the very foundations of the community. While justice has been served, the incident will always be a dark reminder of the brutality that exists in our world.
This article is not related to other individuals with similar names, such as Joel Steinberg [[1]]and Joel Gonzales [[2]], who have been involved in separate crimes. Additionally, there is no connection to a German police arrest of a teenager in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania [[3]].
