Suspicion of physical harm: Raid on child psychiatrist Winterhoff

In investigations against the child psychiatrist Winterhoff, the police confiscated patient documents. WDR and SZ had revealed that he had been prescribing sedative drugs to children and adolescents for years.

On Thursday, 100 detectives examined numerous patient files in connection with the investigation into the well-known child psychiatrist Dr. Michael Winterhoff confiscated. In the major search operation, the Bonn public prosecutor’s office secured extensive evidence for their investigations into suspected dangerous bodily harm.

The detectives searched 15 youth welfare facilities in North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Lower Saxony where Winterhoff worked. In addition, the officials secured evidence in the former Bonn practice of the child psychiatrist.

Prescribed sedative medication

Of the WDR and the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” reported extensively in August 2021 on the unacceptable medical measures taken by the well-known Bonn child psychiatrist. the ARD-Documentation “Why children are not tyrants – The Dr. Winterhoff system” had revealed with the SZ that Winterhoff prescribed sedative drugs to children and adolescents for years. Many of the affected children lived in homes and were exposed to the treatment of the child psychiatrist, who became well known in the media, for a long time.

A specially established investigative team will now evaluate the files together with the responsible public prosecutor. Winterhoff’s attorney faced that today WDR clear that the presumption of innocence applies. Winterhoff continues to deny the allegations and assumes that his treatments are legally compliant.