Mother due to a psychological disorder after son killing in court

Mother due to a psychological disorder after son killing in court

On June 1, 2025, the case of a 29-year-old woman begins in court who is accused of having killed her four-year-old son. The indictment has applied for a permanent accommodation of the woman in a forensic-therapeutic center. According to an expert opinion from the psychiatric expert Sigrun Rossmanith, there is a reason for guilt, since the woman suffers from an acute polymorphic psychotic disorder with symptoms of schizophrenia. At the time of the crime, it was classified as unable to account, which significantly influenced the investigation.

Just one day before the tragedy, the husband of the accused asked for a Vienna hospital to see their mental state. However, her acute psychotic state was not recognized by the medical specialists and she was sent home. The evening before the crime, the father lay down next to his son, but in the morning the mother attacked her boy with a knife. Any help came too late for the child, while the woman herself inflicted injuries, but they were not life -threatening. The circumstances of the crime raise questions about the applicable treatment options for mentally ill people.

mental illnesses and their consequences

According to a report by DGPPN, people with mental illnesses are not generally more dangerous than mentally healthy people. Nevertheless, individual diagnoses in connection with drug abuse can lead to aggressive behavior. In the treatment of mentally ill -sick criminals, the strategy usually goes in the direction of accommodation in acute psychiatry, correctional facilities or in the enforcement of measures. This distinction is crucial because many crimes and their legal consequences are often difficult for the public and are subject to misinterpretations.

Another aspect that is often treated in the discussion about mentally ill criminals is the duration of the accommodations. The enforcement of measures is often criticized because patients are sometimes "locked away" inappropriately. A survey of 78 German clinics for the enforcement of measures showed that many institutions are overcrowded due to increasing number of patients, which affects the treatment. In many clinics it is common for over 25 % of patients to remain in the intelligence enforcement for more than 10 years.

therapeutic approaches and challenges

in Vienna there is a therapeutic competence center that specializes in psychotherapeutic, psychiatric and clinical-psychological treatment. The center supports people with judicial instructions in connection with criminal acts and develops individual treatment plans. The goal is sustainable rehabilitation to prevent relapses.

The debate about the adequate treatment of mentally ill people, especially in correctional facilities, continues to be intensively managed. Experts like Prof. Dr. Jürgen Müller demand reforms and better financing to improve both the legal foundations and the resources for psychiatric care.

In view of the tragic events around the woman and her son, it becomes clear how complex the challenges in dealing with mental disorders are and which urgent measures are necessary to ensure the security and well -being of those affected and society.