Mother seriously injured

Tragedy in Lower Austria: Dead baby found in apartment

The 15-month-old toddler was found dead in an apartment in Groß Gerungs (Lower Austria), and the mother had severe injuries.(Bild: Attila Molnar)

Major operation on Wednesday in the Zwettl district of Lower Austria: A 15-month-old toddler was found dead in an apartment in Groß Gerungs. The mother was found seriously injured and taken to hospital in critical condition. The terrible discovery was made by the little boy's father...

Shock and grief in the small community of Groß Gerungs after a 15-month-old toddler was found dead in an apartment. Lying next to him: the boy's mother, seriously injured. According to information obtained by the "Krone" newspaper, the father made the shocking discovery in the afternoon and immediately alerted the emergency services.

Major police operation
According to initial information, the bloody deed is likely to be a murder and attempted suicide. The woman was taken to hospital in critical condition, said Stefan Pfandler, head of the Lower Austria State Criminal Police Office. As a result, it has not yet been possible to question her. 

The State Criminal Police Office was working in the Waldviertel municipality with the homicide and life and limb division and the crime scene investigation team. During the course of the evening, evidence was secured and initial interviews were conducted with those involved.

Memories of horrific crimes
The case brings back memories of the recent horrific crimes in Kitzbühel and Leoben. A 39-year-old mother grabbed a kitchen knife in her family's apartment in Leoben while her 11-year-old son was sitting in the living room. His name was Samuel. He is said to have been stabbed to death "because he was possessed by the devil," according to the woman's statement to the "Krone" newspaper.

Days later, the next terrible news came, this time from Kitzbühel. The body of a five-year-old child was found on the first floor of an apartment building. An acquaintance of the family raised the alarm. The mother's body was also found at the scene; she had killed herself. How she killed her son remains unclear. There were no external injuries. Was he poisoned? Everyone is waiting for the results of the toxicological and histological reports.