12-year-old deaf girl in Bochum: Police shoot after knife attack

12-year-old deaf girl in Bochum: Police shoot after knife attack

A tragic incident occurred in Bochum when a deaf girl aged 12 was shot by police officers. According to exxpress.at, the girl had previously disappeared from a residential group. On Sunday, her carer reported her missing because she urgently needs vital medication.

After her disappearance, there were indications that the girl might have been found in her deaf mother's apartment in the Hamme district. Emergency services were called on Monday night when noises were heard in the apartment building, but the door initially remained closed. It was only after about an hour that the mother opened the door for the police.

The incident

While the police tried to clarify the situation, the girl approached the officers with two knives. To defuse the situation, an electrical impulse device was used and a police officer fired his service weapon. The police officers immediately provided first aid until emergency services arrived. The girl was immediately taken to a nearby hospital where she required surgery and is in a critical condition.

The exact circumstances, including the number of shots fired, are still under investigation. The communication possibilities between the deaf mother and the girl are also examined in more detail, as the girl should not have lived in her mother's apartment - her custody had been withdrawn.

Mental health and social challenges

This incident also sheds light on the current situation in child and adolescent psychiatry, which is under increasing pressure not only in Germany but also in many other countries. The Children's Health Report 2023, published on aerzteblatt.de, highlights that the mental health of children and young people is affected by the The Covid-19 pandemic and other crises are under heavy strain. Girls between the ages of 15 and 19 are particularly affected, as they often suffer from anxiety and adjustment disorders.

Experts are urgently calling for preventive measures and low-threshold support services to avoid chronic psychological problems. The health, school and youth welfare systems are currently overloaded, and waiting times for therapy places are unacceptably long.

In view of current events, it is clear that the challenges for young people and their families are complex. The incident of the attacked girl could be seen as a call to take the mental health and social conditions of children more seriously. A joint approach is needed to offer those affected the support they need at the right time.

In this context, the social environment is also crucial. The need to strengthen children in their own health and development must be brought to the fore in order to achieve a sustainable improvement in their living conditions.