Evelyn T.: Mother in custody-what will become of her little son?

Evelyn T.: Mother in custody-what will become of her little son?

A dramatic return to Austria: the former IS supporter Evelyn T. and her seven-year-old son were recently dragged from Syria to Vienna, where a legal nightmare for the mother now emerges. According to Orf , the 26-year-old is investigated for terrorist association and criminal organization. She spent several years in the Al-Roj-Camp, a notorious camp for IS believers, before she ended up in Vienna on March 1, where she was immediately arrested because there was an arrest warrant of the public prosecutor.

The child's situation is worrying. The little boy was handed over to the care of the Viennese child and youth welfare, where he reports that he cries a lot and is sad because his mother is not with him. Nevertheless, he currently shows no signs of radicalization, as The press . In a special facility, he is psychologically supervised and has already found a connection to other children, but the question remains unanswered what his future will look like and whether he can move to his grandmother, who is ready to take care of him.

legal uncertainties and family questions

The defender of Evelyn T., Anna Mair, lodged against the custody complaint because she considers the court's decision to be unjustified. After the arrest, the mother's detention was decided on the basis of "risk of crime", and the Vienna Higher Regional Court will soon decide whether to maintain detention. The uncertainty about the legal framework contributes to the tense situation, since her mother-child relationship hangs in the air. The boy's care is checked in a "risk clarification" that could take several weeks.

The return to a safe environment could be a decisive turn for both, the mother and the son. Evelyne T. said that she hopes to be back with her son soon, while the authorities of child and youth welfare are aware of the child's difficult situation. However, the incidents raise numerous questions about the mental consequences of years of internment, which cannot remain unnoticed.