The murder of a Ukrainian woman and her daughter in Germany: new details
New details have emerged in the case of the brutal murder of a 32-year-old Ukrainian refugee and her daughter in Dorsten. A 16-year-old Ukrainian, who claimed responsibility, has been taken into custody.
The bodies of the victims were discovered by passersby early Sunday morning, June 29.
According to Ramona Hörst, a police spokeswoman for Recklinghausen, who gave an interview to WDR, the suspect boy approached investigators working at the scene on Sunday evening "and admitted his involvement. The young man was detained. Investigative actions are ongoing."
Circumstances of the murder
Some details of the crime are now being clarified: the murder occurred in a park area, on a forest trail in the Holsterhausen district. Usually, there are many visitors on weekends — nearby bicycle paths and a strawberry field. It was the passersby, out for a walk in the park, who stumbled upon the bodies of the victims and immediately reported it to law enforcement authorities.
The results of the forensic examination and the autopsy conducted on June 30 confirmed the initial suspicions. "From the beginning, there was suspicion that it was a violent death. During the forensic examination, this suspicion was confirmed," said Ramona Hörst.
Forensic experts worked at the scene until late Sunday evening. From Monday, the forest trail where the murder took place was reopened. At the scene of the crime, television crews found still visible traces of blood. Someone brought a memorial candle to the bench nearby.
The refugee shelter where the deceased woman born in 1992 and her daughter born in 2023 lived is located nearby, about a mile from the scene. According to the dpa news agency, the deceased also has another daughter: a 13-year-old girl who is now under the care of the youth services.
What is known about the suspect?
According to investigators, the suspect in the crime is a minor Ukrainian who also resides in Dorsten. Although he, like the two victims, is an Ukrainian citizen, investigators at this stage do not comment on whether the victims and the suspect knew each other or what might have connected them.
At the same time, police and prosecutors have already received some information from the public. "We received many tips, which we still need to verify and determine what is relevant to this crime," said Ramona Hörst in a comment to RTL television channel.
It is also known that police have checked the version that links this murder to an attempted robbery that occurred in this area last week. During that incident, a 40-year-old woman and her one-year-old child were robbed. The woman was deprived of jewelry — a pair of earrings — but did not sustain serious injuries. However, on Monday, police stated they had not established a connection between the two events.
As of Tuesday, July 1, the 16-year-old suspect is in custody, and investigative actions in this case are ongoing, DW reported to the police press service of Recklinghausen.
The Ukrainian consulate in Düsseldorf has reportedly already sent a request to German law enforcement agencies to clarify additional information. Diplomats are working to establish contact with the relatives of the victims and the detainee.
