Heide: Police are investigating an alleged act of violence against a 13-year-old | > – News

Status: 03/22/2023 08:57 a.m

A group of girls is said to have beaten and humiliated a 13-year-old in Heide. Videos of the crime are circulating on social media. Some of the alleged perpetrators are not yet of criminal responsibility.

A brutal case from Heide causes horror: According to police reports, a group of girls between the ages of 12 and 17 beat and humiliated a 13-year-old girl there. The crimes were filmed using a smartphone, said Astrid Heidorn, spokeswoman for the Itzehoe police department, on Tuesday: “It can be seen on these videos that this girl was pushed there, had to kneel down and there was also chewing gum in her hair.” The 13-year-old was also showered with coke, according to the police spokeswoman. The video is available to NDR Schleswig-Holstein. It also features guys watching the scene. Girls become violent.

Heidorn said it was reported immediately after the incident on February 21, 2023. The police have been investigating ever since. According to the police spokeswoman, it is about collective, dangerous bodily harm. There is also a robbery in the room, because the girl’s jacket and smartphone were probably stolen. “At the moment the procedure is still ongoing. All suspects are now known,” said Heidorn.

Prosecutor: Video sharing can be punishable

Jonna Ziemer from the Itzehoe public prosecutor’s office did not want to provide any further information on the alleged perpetrators, as some were not yet of criminal responsibility. “Children who are not yet 14 years old are not to be prosecuted under criminal law. We are therefore not conducting any criminal investigations against them,” said the senior public prosecutor. Instead, a so-called child hearing takes place. The youth welfare office is already involved.

In addition, Ziemer appealed not to spread the video further on social networks: “Because it shows someone in their helplessness. If someone is shown in their helplessness, it can also be punishable.” Neither the police nor the public prosecutor’s office gave any information on the condition of those affected.

Sütterlin-Waack: Violent crimes among under 14 year olds have increased

The crime apparently had a history. Interior Minister Sabine Sütterlin-Waack (CDU) indicated this in an interview with NDR Schleswig-Holstein, but did not want to go into detail. While there was no overall increase in violent crimes among young people in the current state crime statistics, the picture is different for those under 14, i.e. children. “There is actually an increase in the number of violent crimes – we call them brutal crimes – in the years 2019 to 2022,” said the interior minister.

In general, the CDU politician did not want to blame social media and the permanent availability of violence on the Internet for the development. In the current case, she didn’t want to rule it out either: “If you look at this video, you naturally have the impression that it actually jumps out of social media.”

Three alleged perpetrators – only one is criminally responsible

The video shows a group of girls and boys standing around the 13-year-old, not all of whom are said to have been involved in criminal acts. “So far we have the information that we are dealing with three perpetrators. Two of them are under the age of criminal responsibility under the current law – i.e. under 14 – and one is over 14,” said Sütterlin-Waack, who assumes that it is for the over 14-year-old will “definitely” come to a trial before the responsible youth court. She also wants to check with Minister of Justice Kerstin von der Decken (CDU) whether reducing the age of criminal responsibility from 14 to 12 years would make sense. Ultimately, however, it is up to the federal government to decide.

Expert: Perpetrators have often experienced violence themselves

Moritz Stahl from the child protection center in Bad Segeberg points out that when looking for explanations one has to look at the living conditions of the violent children and young people under whom they grew up. The perpetrators often experienced violence themselves. Parents who realize that their children are violent or are suffering from violence should seek help at an early stage.

Because such acts of violence shake the basic trust of the victims, says Martin Sanders from the West Coast Child Protection Center. It is therefore now important to give the girl a feeling of security and also to make therapeutic offers.