First, the two accused were questioned additionally, and then the focus was on the psychiatric report. Verdicts are expected in the followingnoon hours.
In the psychiatric report prepared by Peter Hofmann, the 33-year-old mother was diagnosed with a “serious and lasting mental disorder”. However, the state of insanity had not been reached and the woman had not acted “under a delusion”. The ability to control the crime was significantly restricted during the time of the crime, but was not eliminated.
“Severe emotional disturbance”
According to Hofmann, the mother also suffered from a “severe emotional disorder” and the 33-year-old no longer had any sense of the absurdity of this situation. The expert spoke of a “monstrous criminal act over a long period of time.” There is a high probability that the 33-year-old will commit serious bodily harm crimes once more in the foreseeable future.
The situation is similar in terms of danger with the 40-year-old possible accomplice. However, the accused was always sane, stated Hofmann. If the second defendant actually behaved as alleged in the indictment, this clearly indicates “great chasms within” and a “lack of empathy”. In addition to the sentence, the Krems public prosecutor’s office requested that both women be placed in a forensic therapeutic center in accordance with Section 21 Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code.
“Can’t undo mistakes”
The statements of the two defendants contradicted each other in many parts during the course of the trial. On Thursday, the mother appeared contrite and said she was “terribly sorry for what happened.” She doesn’t know “how it got to this point” and regretted contacting the second defendant. The 40-year-old, in turn, emphasized that she was not aware of the full extent of the actions. “Unfortunately I can’t undo the mistake; I would have had to intervene myself.” She tearfully apologized to the 13-year-old and his father. The public prosecutor found contradictory statements from the 40-year-old. “Why should we believe a word you say?” asked the representative of the prosecution.
The 33-year-old mother and single parent is accused of, among other things, beating, binding, gagging her son and repeatedly locking him in a dog crate for hours at least from July to November 2022. She is also said to have let the child starve.
Detailed instructions on child abuse
The woman was arrested on November 24, 2022. At the beginning of March 2023, the handcuffs clicked for the 40-year-old possible accomplice. She and the child’s mother were pretty much best friends for years. The woman from the Waldviertel is also said to have repeatedly given the first defendant detailed instructions on how to mistreat the child. The 40-year-old is also said to have suggested locking the boy in the dog box. However, the woman denied this.
The situation came to a head between November 20th and 22nd, 2022, and the accusation of attempted murder also refers to this period. The mother may have poured cold water on the then 12-year-old with the windows open. The emaciated boy’s body temperature dropped to 26.8 degrees and the condition was life-threatening.
The two women spoke on the phone several times, and in the evening the second defendant finally contacted a social worker who was not involved in the case and drove with her to the main defendant’s home. The mother finally alerted emergency services on the spot, but only following repeated and urgent requests from the social worker. The child was taken to a hospital and treated in the intensive care unit.
“Personality will remain deformed”
The boy is now doing well physically and lives with his father. However, an expert saw the 13-year-old’s “greatly increased likelihood that his personality will remain deformed in the future.” Post-traumatic stress disorder is present.
The role of child and youth welfare has also been highlighted in the process so far. After two reports of danger, there were unannounced home visits to the mother and son on October 28th and November 18th, 2022. Although abnormalities were identified, no reason was seen for a so-called imminent danger measure. The child and youth welfare service emphasized last year that an immediate examination of the internal processes following the case became known showed that “all requirements were adhered to”. A six-person, independent expert group was set up. A final report will be presented to the Lower Austrian state government next week and then made public, according to a request from the office of State Councilor Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig (SPÖ).
The son’s mother might face up to life in prison if convicted of attempted murder. The 33-year-old denied this charge. The woman from the Waldviertel pleaded guilty to the allegations of torturing or neglecting underage, younger or defenseless people as well as deprivation of liberty. The penalty for the co-defendant for continued violence as a contributor or intended perpetrator is up to 15 years. The 40-year-old pleaded guilty in principle, but then severely limited this responsibility when she was questioned on Monday.
