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Tragedy in Graz Hospital: Mother sues after the death of her newborn
Aida O. sues a Graz hospital after the death of her daughter. A medical emergency raises questions about the healthcare system.
Tragedy in Graz Hospital: Mother sues after the death of her newborn
Today, November 2, 2025, Aida Ö., a young mother from Graz, filed a lawsuit against a hospital for alleged “negligent homicide.” Her greatest pain: her daughter Miriam died just ten minutes after birth. According to oe24.at Aida Ö came. Already six months pregnant, she was taken to the hospital with severe pain and bleeding.
The attending doctor said that she couldn't do anything and assumed it was a stillbirth. This misjudgment led to the baby being born alive, but dying shortly afterwards. Aida O. had insisted on an incubator, but was refused this support.
Medical regret and legal action
Anesthesiologist Frédérik Tömböl, who was also involved in the case, expressed regret over the incident. Aida Ö.'s lawyer, Karin Prutsch-Lang, explained that she had submitted a "statement of facts regarding negligent homicide". She points out that she regularly deals with cases of “system failure” in the health sector.
Prutsch-Lang is of the opinion that the case of Aida Ö. is symptomatic of the state of the health system in Graz. Medical ethicist Maria Kletecka-Pulker also emphasizes that every medical procedure carries risks and that doctors are obliged to provide “state of the art” treatment.
The state of the health system
The debate on quality in healthcare is addressed in the context of a report by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. The social ministry.gv.at has published regular analyzes that shed light on the Austrian healthcare system. The fourth edition of the country profile from 2019 describes in particular reforms that have been in force since 2013 and are intended to strengthen coordination and cooperation between different levels of government.
These reforms are crucial to improve the care situation and create trust in the healthcare system. Re-examining cases like Aida Ö.'s is also important in order to identify and correct systematic weaknesses. The experienced anesthetist Tömböl supports Aida Ö's complaint. and emphasizes the need for individualized consideration of cases to improve medical practices.
Aida O. reported that she heard “I’m sorry” from doctors with genuine empathy for the first time in Health Talk, which for her was both comfort and a sign of the need for changes in the healthcare system.