Train collision involving a young girl reportedly occurs

In the small town of Friedland, located in the extreme south of Lower Saxony near the state borders with Hesse and Thuringia, a tragic event unfolded two weeks ago. A 16-year-old girl lost her life after being pushed against an oncoming freight train at the local station.

Subsequent investigations by the state criminal police office led to a significant breakthrough. DNA traces were found on the victim, specifically on her shoulder, which were matched to a 31-year-old man. This discovery resulted in the man's detention.

The man, who had previously been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, initially denied involvement in the crime. However, during a confrontation with the investigating judge, he exercised his right to remain silent. A voluntary alcohol test showed a reading of 1.35 percent for the man.

Prior to the incident, the man had served a substitute custodial sentence before reporting again as an asylum seeker in Friedland. His asylum application was rejected in December 2022, and deportation to Lithuania was possible since March 2025.

The public prosecutor's office announced that the police were called to the station shortly before the crime due to a man causing a disturbance. Officers found three people at the station, including the suspect, who led them to a platform where the teenager was already lying dead.

Lower Saxony's Interior Minister Daniela Behrens (SPD) has criticized the Dublin procedure, stating that the suspect should not have been in Germany. Behrens called for a thorough investigation into why the suspect was not transferred.

The current status regarding whether the suspect would serve a prison sentence or be permanently accommodated in a psychiatric clinic is open. The man is currently under psychiatric care by order of a criminal judge in a specialized psychiatric clinic following a court-issued detention order related to manslaughter.

The suspect showed signs of mental disturbance on the day of the crime. An application for detention for deportation was rejected by the district court of Hanover in July 2025.

Friedland residents are left to grapple with the aftermath of this tragic event, as the community comes together to mourn the loss of the young girl.