Clinic alerted to potential assault by a 13-year-old, according to the police warning.
In a shocking incident, a 13-year-old girl launched a life-threatening attack on a caregiver in a closed psychiatric facility in Paderborn. The caregiver was stabbed in the back with a bread knife during a supervised kitchen therapy session, leaving them critically injured.
Authorities responded immediately, providing medical intervention and initiating an investigation. However, the young girl's age limited criminal proceedings. Despite being taken into police custody, a remand in custody was not considered due to her age.
The police had warned the hospital days before the attack about the girl's high risk and the danger posed by allowing her access to kitchen knives, but these warnings were not fully heeded. The girl had been living in an apartment under 24-hour police surveillance and pedagogical care. Just days before the attack, she had attempted to escape from the apartment, injuring a police officer, and was subsequently transferred to the closed psychiatric facility.
The clinic maintained its course of action despite the police warning. The girl reportedly had access to the kitchen in the psychiatric facility, which raised concern among investigators. The police have set up a homicide commission to investigate the incident.
Several media outlets and dpa have confirmed that the 13-year-old girl had been under the scrutiny of authorities as an Islamist threat for months. However, no confirmed Islamist connection has been publicly acknowledged by the police.
Ongoing investigations by a homicide squad and public prosecutors are focusing on motive and potential political aspects. The focus is currently on supporting the injured employee and continuing to process the incident with the clinic team and other patients.
A representative of the clinic's operator is scheduled to clarify the circumstances that led to the incident. The Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe, the regional authority, has declined to comment initially on the matter.
The victim's condition has since improved, as reported by the police on Sunday. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for careful risk management in such sensitive situations, given the patient’s history and access to weapons despite prior warnings. Security measures have been increased to prevent escape attempts, with police on standby outside and security services within the clinic.
- The incident at the psychiatric facility in Paderborn, where a 13-year-old girl launched a life-threatening attack on a caregiver during a supervised kitchen therapy session, highlights the need for careful risk management, particularly in cases with a history of violence or crisis.
- The ongoing investigations into the attack in Paderborn have revealed that the young girl was under the scrutiny of authorities as an Islamist threat for months, raising questions about potential political aspects and motives.
- In light of the shocking attack at the closed psychiatric facility, therapies and treatments, as well as general news, are shedding light on the importance of mental health and health-and-wellness, emphasizing the role of therapies and treatments in managing and preventing violent outbursts in vulnerable patients.
