Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Alleged death of a 13-year-old from ecstasy – “How do they get something like that?”
The view of downtown Altentreptow, where the school of the 13-year-old who died after allegedly abusing ecstasy is located
© Bernd Wüstneck / DPA
The tragic death of a 13-year-old in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania causes nationwide dismay. The child is said to have swallowed a particularly strong ecstasy pill. Other young people in the region are also said to have taken the drug – one of them is fighting for her life.
Apart from the transporter of a radio station, on Tuesday afternoon there was hardly anything to indicate the tragedy that befell the cooperative comprehensive school on the outskirts of the small town of Altentreptow in the east Mecklenburg-West Pomerania has overtaken. Pupils can be seen through the pane in a classroom. Teachers drive from the farm. A man in overalls who closes the gate behind it says only: “No comment.”
The death of a 13-year-old classmate from the small town tore the children and young people out of their everyday school life. The police said the girl died on Monday, presumably after taking the Blue Punisher ecstasy pill, which is particularly strong. A 14-year-old is in intensive care in Neubrandenburg and is in critical condition, a spokeswoman for the Neubrandenburg police headquarters said on Tuesday. She is also said to have consumed an ecstasy pill.
Pupils and teaching staff reacted concerned, said school board member Kirsten Reen. At a place of mourning in the school, the students laid down flowers and cuddly toys and set up candles, among other things.
Strong ecstasy pills called “Blue Punisher”
According to the police, a 15-year-old friend of the 13-year-old victim is also in the hospital and is on the mend. A fourth girl from Malchin also took “Blue Punisher” – she was able to be questioned and confirmed taking it. The girl suffered from nausea and abdominal pain at times, but is well again.
According to their own statements, the police arrested four suspects aged 16, 17, 17 and 37 on Monday evening. The Neubrandenburg district court issued an arrest warrant against the 37-year-old on Tuesday afternoon, as a court spokesman said. The man is said to have given narcotics to minors in two cases. He is also said to have possessed a significant amount of narcotics.
Three out of four suspects at large
According to the police, the other three suspects have been released, but are still considered suspects. “According to the current state of knowledge, the investigators assume that all four suspects are connected to the death of the 13-year-old and the poor health of the 14- and 15-year-olds,” said a police spokeswoman. Precise connections between the crimes and the determination of possible other suspects are the subject of the ongoing investigations by the Neubrandenburg Criminal Police Inspectorate.
A 19-year-old ex-student of KGS Altentreptow, who was on her way to sports in the adjacent hall on Tuesday afternoon, was not very surprised on Tuesday. Weed was already being dealt with when she was at school. “The police must have come every two weeks or so.” The fact that a girl has now died is a different quality. “How do they get something like that?” asks the teenager. “Especially at that age.” Even in her time there was prevention work at the school, for example with a former drug addict. For some young people, however, this does not seem to be the case.
Young people are “totally left to their own devices”
When asked about the 13-year-old, an older passer-by in the sleepy town center of Altentreptow pointed to a lack of leisure activities for young people. “They are totally left to themselves.” There are no more youth clubs. The last disco was demolished about two years ago. Instead, the young people now hung around at the train station or other places.
According to the investigators’ findings so far, only the 13- and 15-year-olds, who attended school together in Altentreptow in the Mecklenburg Lake District, were known to each other. Four prevention officers from the police were deployed there on Tuesday. The children and young people were shocked, said a spokeswoman.
Figures from the Federal Ministry of the Interior
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At the weekend, a 15-year-old died in the neighboring state of Brandenburg – presumably also as a result of drug use, according to the public prosecutor. An autopsy should clarify the cause of death. In the course of the investigation, the investigators said they also have a possible connection with the death of the 13-year-old from Altentreptow in mind.
According to the police, the 13-year-old died on Monday in the clinic in Neubrandenburg. On the evening of the same day, police officers found the 14-year-old lying on a sidewalk in Neubrandenburg.
“Drugs are always dangerous,” warned Schwerin’s interior minister, Christian Schwachen (SPD). “Currently, however, we have had to identify several cases with a life-threatening course. These ecstasy pills are very directly life-threatening!”
The drug is easy to overdose on
The collective term ecstasy refers to synthetic drugs in tablet, powder or crystal form that are manufactured in the laboratory without natural raw materials. Ecstasy leads to flights of fancy, sociability and loss of sense of time. The body’s warning system is switched off. When used as a party drug, prolonged dancing can lead to extreme water loss, organ damage or circulatory collapse. Fatal renal failure has been observed, as has fatal cerebral hemorrhage. The drug can also cause psychosis and delusions.
The Blue Punisher pill’s appearance resembles a diamond with a skull engraved on it, inspired by the logo of the Marvel character, The Punisher. They are also available in other colors. According to experts, half a pill can lead to an overdose because of its high concentration of active ingredients.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Health Minister Stefanie Drese (SPD) reacted with great dismay to the 13-year-old’s death. She urged people to stay away from drugs of all kinds. Especially for adolescents, the intake is extremely dangerous and can cause permanent damage. The police suspect that the drug is still in circulation in the region and also issued a strong warning.