Jury in tears

Boy (3) tortured to death: Parents in court today

Life imprisonment for the parents of little Elias.(Bild: Johanna Birbaumer)

"We have never dealt with anything so cruel in this district – or in the whole of Austria," emphasized the prosecutor in her closing statement. The trial of Elias (3), who was tortured to death, sent a chill through the Innsbruck Regional Court on Monday. The jury reached a clear verdict: life imprisonment for the father and mother of the three-year-old! Not yet legally binding.

This day in court will probably haunt everyone present in their everyday lives. The agonizing death of the three-year-old Tyrolean boy, tortured for five endless months by his own parents until he finally starved and died of thirst in a 50 x 50 cm drawer, exceeded the limits of what is bearable at the Innsbruck Regional Court.

The accused parents at the beginning of the trial.(Bild: Johanna Birbaumer)

A demon named "Dorothea"
The couple (both 27 years old) called "it," "Dorothea," or "the old woman" the demon they believed was inside their child's body and had to be defeated. "No delusion and no illness," emphasized experienced court psychiatrist Adelheid Kastner. The parents were simply looking for an outlet to cope with their chaotic everyday life with three other young daughters and financial problems, and to avoid having to acknowledge their own fault in the matter.

Killing him is not enough – he must die in agony.

Aus einem Chatprotokoll

125,492 chat messages evaluated
They found a defenseless victim in their own son – little Elias. 125,492 chat messages between the parents documented how they abused the boy in unimaginable ways, enjoyed it, and encouraged each other. "Killing him isn't enough – he must die in agony," prosecutor Verena Pezzei quoted from a chat message.

Days and nights tied up in a pitch-dark toilet
Visibly moved, but professional as the oppressive proceedings demanded, she described how Elias was locked up for days and nights in his room and later in a windowless, lightless toilet. "His mouth was often taped shut, his hands and legs tied with cable ties," she added. At first, as long as his strength lasted, Elias still hammered on the door. His eldest sister (6) later told investigators that she could no longer bear the knocking.

The "Krone" live ticker to read:

Showered with water that was too hot or too cold
In the shower, the police found various cable ties on the fittings. They were used to hang the child in the shower cubicle when he was showered with ice-cold or much too hot water. The boy had to sleep on a slatted frame without a mattress and later in a drawer. He was given something to eat mainly when the isolated family pretended to visitors that everything was fine. They came up with countless excuses to their parents and parents-in-law as to why Elias was not there when they visited.

Just by looking at him, the cause of death, starvation and dehydration, was obvious.

Gerichtsmedizinerin Elke Doberentz

In the end, Elias weighed only seven kilograms.
The ordeal ended on May 19, 2024, when the father found his son lifeless in the drawer and called emergency services. The web of lies ("he just didn't eat anything") quickly unraveled in front of the investigators. "Just by looking at him, the cause of death, starvation and dehydration, was obvious," said the medical examiner. The boy looked like an old man, measuring 94 centimeters tall and weighing only seven kilograms—usually the weight of a four-month-old child. "It was suffering that lasted for weeks or months—extreme and agonizing." Ultimately, it led to organ failure.

During the trial, the parents initially covered their faces, then mostly looked at the floor. The woman referred to her confession and did not want to answer any questions. The man also remained silent after reading a brief apology from a piece of paper.

"Immeasurable guilt"
In closing, the prosecutor once again emphasized the "immeasurable guilt" and that the three siblings would also have to cope with trauma. Defense attorney Matthias Holzmann brought up his client's clean record and confession. The woman's lawyer, Oliver Mathis, emphasized the "hopeless situation" after the fourth child and that she had been unable to accept outside help.

In vain. The verdict was two life sentences. The 27-year-old will also be committed to an institution.