Not legally binding

“Keep thinking a child operated on me”

The doctor and the co-defendant neurosurgeon at the trial(Bild: APA/ERWIN SCHERIAU)

The trial against the neurosurgeon whose daughter (12) allegedly drilled a hole in a patient's head during an emergency operation continued on Wednesday. This time, the victim was also questioned. The verdict was handed down at 12 noon sharp: acquittal, not legally binding.

"I keep thinking that a twelve-year-old operated on me. I have insomnia, I'm undergoing psychiatric treatment, I feel very bad, I can't work because of it," said the man whose head the underage daughter of a neurosurgeon is said to have handled during his emergency operation following a serious forestry accident, in front of the judge at the district court in Graz. According to the public prosecutor's office, the child had either drilled the hole on her own. According to the defense lawyers, he only placed his hand on that of the second accused operator. 

"I would never have given my consent"
He only found out from the police months later that a child had actually tampered with him - at the time, the "Krone" had already been the first to report on the incident. "They said at the time that I was the one who had been operated on by a child. The thought of that keeps haunting me now. I would never have given my consent for that to happen!"

The doctor and the co-defendant neurosurgeon at the trial(Bild: APA/ERWIN SCHERIAU)

After the operation, the doctor came in with her daughter and said: 'My daughter has just drilled a hole for the first time'.

Eine diplomierte Gesundheitskrankenpflegerin

After his interrogation, a qualified nurse was also questioned: "I was sitting in the monitoring room with my colleagues. After the operation, the doctor came in with her daughter and said: 'My daughter has just drilled a hole for the first time'. She seemed proud, the girl was in a good mood. We were very surprised, but nobody wanted to stab the doctor in the back."

"The accused are anything but credible"
In her closing statement, prosecutor Julia Steiner criticized some witnesses who appeared to be untrustworthy. She also addressed the defendants directly: "They are everything, but certainly not credible. You can't get over the fact that a child drilled a borehole. This only happened because two neurosurgeons were not aware of their responsibility." Victims' lawyer Peter Freiberger is also convinced: "The doctor is not a person who needs to brag about something that is not true. If she says her daughter drilled a hole, then that's what happened."

That was the worst mistake of my life. The last two years have been hell for me and my family. Some say I deserved it.

Die Mutter und Neurochirurgin

The two lawyers for the accused don't see it that way: "There is not a single piece of evidence that she drilled alone. She only had her hand on the drill, but didn't exert any pressure." 

"The last two years were hell"
The mother and doctor also spoke out: "That was the worst mistake of my life. The last two years have been hell for me and my family. Some say I deserved it. I'm incredibly sorry!"

It's not about what I believe. And that I think it's all madness. But it couldn't be proven that the girl had drilled alone.

Die Richterin

The verdict was finally reached at 12 noon: the judge acquitted the surgeon and a colleague for lack of evidence: "It's not about what I believe. And that I find it all, to put it bluntly, madness. But it could not be proven that the girl drilled alone or exerted pressure." The verdict is not final!