Parents are tight-lipped

Neglected child: How the young patient is doing

The girl in question (stock photo) is receiving comprehensive care at the Innsbruck Clinic.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer, thebigland – stock.adobe.com)

The fate of that 7-year-old girl from the Tyrolean Oberland, who was admitted to Innsbruck Hospital at the end of April in a neglected and life-threatening condition, has moved many. The parents are in pretrial detention and are not particularly forthcoming regarding the allegations against them. Meanwhile, news from the hospital offers a glimmer of hope.

Her life hung by a thread: On April 28, the girl was brought to the Innsbruck Clinic by her parents. “Visibly neglected and in a life-threatening condition,” according to the police. The district attorney’s office was notified.

“No details on the charges”
The parents of the seven-year-old are now in pretrial detention at the Innsbruck correctional facility. They are accused of gross neglect of their duty of care over an extended period. In particular, they are alleged to have failed to ensure that their child received the necessary medical care in a timely manner.

The two defendants are refusing to comment on the charges.

Hansjörg Mayr, Sprecher der Staatsanwaltschaft 

Bild: Christof Birbaumer

The girl in question (stock photo) is receiving comprehensive care at Innsbruck Hospital.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer, thebigland – stock.adobe.com)

What do the parents behind bars have to say about this? “The two defendants do not wish to comment on the charges,” Hansjörg Mayr, spokesperson for the Innsbruck Public Prosecutor’s Office, told the “Krone” on Friday.

In any case, the police and judicial investigations are continuing at full speed. The accused parents will remain in pretrial detention at least until the next detention review in just over a week and a half.

“All necessary medical care”
The girl is now in the best of hands at Innsbruck Hospital. “She is receiving all necessary medical care,” says Johannes Schwamberger, spokesperson for Tirol Kliniken. And he also has positive news to report. “There is no longer any immediate danger to her life,” explains the hospital spokesperson. The young patient’s condition is stable. 

There is no longer any immediate danger to her life. Her condition is stable.

Johannes Schwamberger, Sprecher Tirol Kliniken

Bild: Tirol Kliniken

However, the treatment is anything but simple. The seven-year-old suffers from a skin condition that is difficult to treat, according to the district attorney’s office. The symptoms of this condition were extremely pronounced upon admission to the hospital, officials said. 

“Why did this go unnoticed for so long?”
In the family’s hometown, a community of about 1,000 people in the Tyrolean Oberland, people remain in a state of disbelief. The mayor even spoke of a “state of shock.” The horrific case had “caught the town completely off guard,” it was reported.

But how is it possible that the seven-year-old’s suffering went unnoticed for so long—almost until her death? Countless “Krone” users are asking themselves the same thing. “Especially in a village where practically everyone knows everyone else, something like this has to stand out,” read numerous comments to that effect.

The father—in his mid-30s—was reportedly quite active in village life, while the mother—around 40 years old—was less so. The accused apparently have another young son, who has not yet reached kindergarten age. He has now been placed in foster care by order of the authorities. The protective environment of a school was not present in this case, as the seven-year-old had been homeschooled.