Multitudes of Döbeln locals express grief over the demise of nine-year-old Valeriia.
In the quaint town of Doebeln, Germany, the usual joviality of a city festival was replaced with an eerie silence. The unfortunate death of nine-year-old Valeria, a young refugee from Ukraine, had cast a dark shadow over the small Saxon town. A large gathering took place in the town square on the evening of the festival's intended inauguration, a collective tribute to the innocent life lost.
"We will never forget you," Valeria's classmates scribbled on a piece of paper and drew a rainbow beneath it. The paper now adorns the town hall's wall in Doebeln. The crowd swelled to 2,500 people on the day of the arrest, as parents clung tightly to their children, tears streaming down their faces as they released white and pink balloons into the sky. The town's sorrow was palpable, yet there was a glimmer of relief at the news of the arrest.
Valeria's brutal demise sent shockwaves not only within the country but also internationally. The young girl had fled to Germany along with her mother in 2022, seeking refuge from the war in their homeland. On the morning of June 3, Valeria had left for school but did not reach her destination. An extensive search operation followed, involving helicopters, drones, divers, special dogs, and hundreds of police over several days. Her body was discovered in a wooded area on Tuesday. The police classified her death as a crime.
A breakthrough was announced just three days later. At approximately 10:15 am on Friday, a 36-year-old man was apprehended at a restaurant in Prague. The authorities in Chemnitz identified him as the main suspect in the murder of Valeria. This individual had been previously sought through a national and European arrest warrant and was currently in custody in the Czech Republic, set to be extradited to Germany as soon as possible. The legal proceedings were underway for manslaughter, with further details yet to be disclosed.
The investigation had been focused on Valeria's social circle in recent days. Initial reports suggest that the arrested man is the ex-boyfriend of Valeria's mother. The prosecutor's office in Chemnitz refrained from comment at first. Previously, it had been reported that the ex-boyfriend had contacted Valeria's mother on the morning of her disappearance. His phone connection was traced to a cell tower in Doebeln, and he was captured on camera by a neighbor's security system. The Czech police announced on Friday afternoon that they had apprehended a wanted man in the city center of Prague suspected of a violent crime in Germany. Contact between the criminal and foreign police in Prague and the German police was established. Numerous questions remain unanswered, such as the motive and background of the crime, as well as the exact cause of death.
The people of Doebeln had initially planned a lively celebration with music, LED shows, and carousel rides, but the sudden absence of the joyful 9-year-old girl dampened the spirits of the town. The CDU's mayor, Sven Liebhauser, spoke during the memorial on the town square, "Valeria will never dance joyfully at a festival again." His words were intended to comfort the family of the girl, "You are not alone in your unfathomable grief. We are with you. We mourn with you."
Liebhauser, along with many citizens, expressed relief at the arrest. He described the uncertainty following the crime as great. Now, further investigations were necessary.
Saxony's Interior Minister Armin Schuster commended the investigators after the slow arrest. "My gratitude goes particularly to the Chemnitz Police Directorate for their swift investigations and to our Czech colleagues for their cooperation, as well as to all other participating officers," said the CDU politician. He hoped, "that with the arrest of a suspect, this horrific crime will be solved as soon as possible."
