crime
Child locked in dog crate: compensation demanded from the state
The mother locked the child in a dog crate several times for hours. photo
© Christopher Eckl/APA/dpa
The twelve-year-old boy was subjected to martyrdom at home for months. During unannounced visits, social workers only found “abnormalities.” This should now have consequences.
In the case of the child who was tortured almost to death and was thrown into a prison by his mother in Austria After the dog box was blocked, the victim’s lawyer is demanding 150,000 euros in compensation from the state of Lower Austria.
The state’s child and youth welfare staff responded “totally inadequately, thus illegally and culpably, to the dramatic and life-threatening situation” of the then 12-year-old, the APA news agency quoted from the lawyer’s letter available to it. The inadequate reaction had a damaging effect on the boy’s physical and mental integrity. The country now has three months to comment.
“Serious misjudgment”
During two unannounced home visits in October and November 2022, only abnormalities were noted, but no so-called danger-delay measures were ordered, according to the lawyer. The legal representative said it was a “serious misjudgment”. In addition to compensation for pain and suffering, he also demanded liability for all future damages to the victim. A few days after the last visit, the twelve-year-old fell into a coma and was taken to hospital in a life-threatening condition.
The 33-year-old mother had tormented her son for months. Among other things, she had tied him up, gagged him, starved him and exposed him to the icy cold. On top of that, she had locked him in a dog crate for hours on several occasions. The extremely emaciated child had a body temperature of just under 27 degrees when he was admitted to the hospital. The mother stated in court that her motive was that she wanted to raise her allegedly aggressive and rebellious son to be a well-behaved child. But she denied the intention to kill.
The single parent was sentenced to 20 years in prison in a jury trial at the beginning of March for attempted murder, torturing or neglecting minors, younger or defenseless people and for deprivation of liberty. A former friend received 14 years in prison for continuing to commit violence as an instigator. Both judgments are not final.