Softo-compensation lawsuit for child: failure of the authorities in a dog box case

Softo-compensation lawsuit for child: failure of the authorities in a dog box case

In the district court of Krems, a lawsuit was recently filed in which victim attorney Timo Ruisinger for a 14-year-old boy who was involved in terrible circumstances demands pain and suffering of 150,000 euros. The lawsuit is directed against the country, which will continue to adhere to the child's possible damage in the future. The disturbing history includes physical abuse of the boy through his 33-year-old mother, who blocked and humiliated him in a dog box. This case, which led to a dramatic emergency for the child in November 2022, raises serious questions about the scope for action and the responsibility of social workers and authorities.

Even before the life -threatening incident, there were several warnings from schools and doctors who pointed out the risk of the child. Ruisinger assumes that a more intensive intervention by social workers could have prevented the child from having to endure such suffering. It was also criticized that when visiting home, the child's well -being was not looked at, for example whether there is something to eat or whether there is a place to sleep. Such missed controls could have led to early support for the child, which, according to Ruisinger, is assessed as a failure of the authorities.

official failure and consequences

In the lawsuit, the lawyer is based on the Lower Austrian Child and Youth Welfare Act, which the state of Lower Austria sees as the bearer of child and youth welfare. Full responsibility is the responsibility of the youth welfare staff, who in this case apparently could not have fulfilled their duties. Upon the request, the state of Lower Austria explained in this regard that the lawsuit is legally checked as soon as it has been received. So far, however, internal exams did not indicate any indication of misconduct by social workers.

The final report of child and youth welfare, which is available to the online offer noe.orf.at, raises additional questions. Although it is emphasized in this report that the mother was consistently cooperative, there is evidence that she has deceived the authority several times. For example, she did not comply with promised doctor's appointments and provided incorrect information at the authority. It remains questionable whether those responsible from this report actually recognized the urgency of the situation.

IRMGARD Griss, chair of the Child Propose Commission, pointed out the defects in the handling of the case. According to her, it is inadequate to accept the agency's previous declaration. It calls for a proactive review and assessment of the child situation, especially in the event of conspicuous references to abuse. In her opinion, the authority should also have acted more clearly when assessing the problem.

The desperate location of the boy and the questionable decisions of official employees lead to an urgent need for reforms within the system of child and youth welfare. It is important that such grievances are uncovered to ensure that children are not abandoned in dangerous situations. The complete case and the associated challenges have not yet been fully clarified, and the word did not say the last one in this matter. Even the state of the health council Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig (SPÖ) prefers to hold back on the basis of ongoing investigations.

Developments in the event can be of interest to many who deal with issues of child protection and the responsibility of public institutions. The case reminds us of how important it is to focus on the needs and protection of children.

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