New Year's night - Attack on father in Denmark: children presumably with mother
The two children who temporarily disappeared after their father was attacked in southern Denmark are doing well, according to their mother. The children are with her, Christina Block, the daughter of Eugen Block, the founder of the Block House restaurant chain, said via a company spokeswoman on Tuesday. It was unclear exactly where the children were. Danish police assumed that the incident on New Year's Eve was related to a disagreement between the children's parents over custody.
"The children are safe and sound. I ask for your understanding that I am not making any further statements at this time, primarily out of concern for the welfare of my children," the spokesperson said in a statement.
The Hamburg public prosecutor's office had previously assumed that the children were in the care of their mother. "There are currently no concrete indications that the children are in danger," a spokeswoman for the authority said at midday.
What happened on New Year's Eve?
According to the Danish police, the father was attacked near a restaurant on New Year's Eve while watching the New Year's Eve fireworks with his two children in the town of Gråsten (Gravenstein). The two children, reportedly a boy aged 10 and a girl aged 13, were forced into a car. They are being investigated for assault and deprivation of liberty.
The perpetrators fled in two cars with German license plates. The two vehicles were found in Germany by the German police, the Danish police announced on Tuesday afternoon. They did not give any further details. Gråsten is located around 30 kilometers northeast of Flensburg. The "Bild" newspaper initially reported on the incident.
The Hamburg police stated that the facts of the case were known and were the subject of an ongoing investigation. "Further information cannot be provided at present due to the fact that the investigation is only just beginning," it said.
Statement from the father
The father's representative for press law, lawyer Michael Philippi from the Hamburg law firm Unverzagt, told the German Press Agency: "In the current situation, our client will not comment for reasons of the children's safety."
The Block Group, which employs around 2,400 people, is best known for the Block House steakhouse chain and the five-star Grand Elysée Hotel in Hamburg.
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The incident of New Year's Eve in Southern Denmark, involving the father and his children, has left the Danish police suspecting criminality. The children, aged 10 and 13, were temporarily taken away in a car during the incident. Despite initial reports, it was later confirmed by the Hamburg public prosecutor's office that the children were with their mother, Christina Block.
Christina Block, a daughter of the founder of the Block House restaurant chain, has been keeping the children safe and has asked for understanding regarding her decision to not make further statements. The Danish police are investigating the children for assault and deprivation of liberty.
The perpetrators of the attack fled in two cars with German license plates, leading to an international investigation. The cars were later found by German police, but no further details were provided. Gråsten, where the incident occurred, is a town located around 30 kilometers northeast of Flensburg.
The father of the children, who was attacked during the fireworks, has remained silent due to the safety concerns of his children, as stated by his press law representative. The Block Group, a company with around 2,400 employees, is well-known for its Block House steakhouse chain and the Grand Elysée Hotel in Hamburg.
Despite this incident, the focus in Denmark and other parts of Europe remains on other critical situations, such as the floods, which continue to pose a threat to many areas.
Source: www.stern.de
