Processes
Teachers sentenced after student’s death
The two defendants and the lawyers in the courtroom before the start of the hearing. photo
© Henning Kaiser/dpa
The study trip was almost five years ago. A diabetic student died. Now two teachers have been convicted. According to the court, they should have inquired about the students’ previous illnesses.
In the end, the presiding judge turned directly to the girl’s father. “No matter what punishment, it wouldn’t bring Emily back,” said Martin Alberring to the co-plaintiff.
In its verdict, the court followed the prosecution: Before the group of students left for London in June 2019, the teachers should have informed themselves in writing about the illnesses of the 60 to 70 participating students. Because then they would have known that 13-year-old Emily had been diabetic for years and had to take insulin injections regularly. And they could have reacted differently to the symptoms and arranged for early admission to hospital. According to experts, this would probably have prevented the student’s death. The girl and her parents are also said not to have pointed out the illness.
The girl’s condition steadily deteriorated
The court had little understanding for the defendant’s attitude. They took no responsibility for their actions and believed they had done nothing wrong, said the presiding judge in the verdict on the fifth day of the trial.
The 13-year-old’s condition steadily worsened on the journey. Students traveling with us had informed the teachers about this. In the courtroom, a dramatic voice message from a 14-year-old who was in the same room as Emily was played. “It’s constantly falling away from us,” she reported excitedly. The girl was unable to dress herself and was unable to brush her teeth. The 13-year-old neglected to take blood sugar measurements and add insulin on the trip.
Go to the hospital on the day of departure
On the day of departure, the girl was taken to hospital, where she died a day later as a result of insulin deficiency. When the parents found out that their daughter was in hospital in London, they went there immediately and were able to talk to her. The father reported that the doctors gave hope that the child would be able to come home soon. But as soon as he got back home, the news of his death came.
Before the trial at the regional court, there had been a legal tug-of-war that lasted for years. The public prosecutor’s office initially investigated four teachers who took part in the trip. The Mönchengladbach regional court initially did not allow the lawsuit against the two educators. The Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court decided differently in June 2023. Another chamber of the regional court became responsible.
The driving force was Emily’s father. He was happy, but that didn’t make his daughter come alive, he said. The teachers’ defense lawyers want to examine the verdict and then make a decision. They had requested acquittal.