after an attempt to escape - No more time off for fugitives
After a prisoner temporarily escaped during a supervised outing and was returned to the Mainkofen District Hospital in Deggendorf, he will no longer be granted any further relaxations, as announced by a spokesperson for the Lower Bavaria district. The 24-year-old was transferred to a high-security ward. He had escaped his escorts on Thursday afternoon during a cinema visit in Plattling and was apprehended around 23:30 following witness tips and a large-scale police manhunt.
In 2022, the man was sentenced to involuntary commitment in a psychiatric hospital by the Deggendorf Regional Court for manslaughter. Since 2023, he had been granted relaxations due to a successful course of therapy, including escorted outings outside the clinic grounds. The goal was to facilitate his reintegration into society and daily life.
Opportunity Seized
On Thursday, the man was accompanied by three psychological specialists and an intern. During outings, the patient's ability to cope outside the clinic is assessed. In the cinema, the man asked to use the toilet. A misunderstanding in communication between the escorts led to an unsupervised moment, allowing the 24-year-old to escape.
The escorts noticed his absence after two minutes and immediately began searching. They informed the clinic station, which then alerted the police. "The time from the patient's toilet visit to the initiation of the manhunt was seven minutes," the district spokesperson said. Based on current information, a spontaneous escape attempt by the Somali national is suspected.
Large-Scale Search
The police classified the man as "extremely dangerous" and deployed a large number of officers, a helicopter, a drone, and a dog handler to search for the fugitive. According to district statements, the danger posed by the man was considered immediate, citing his medication treatment among other factors.
After the 24-year-old was apprehended by the police, he surrendered without resistance and was returned. As he had abused the granted relaxation, no further such measures will be taken for the time being. As a consequence of this incident, the procedures for relaxations at the Mainkofen District Hospital's forensic psychiatry clinic will be reviewed and, if necessary, adjusted to minimize the risk of future escape attempts, the spokesperson said.
The man's temporary escape during the cinema visit was a concerning instance of crime, as it violated the conditions of his relaxations. Due to this incident, the hospital's procedures for relaxations may undergo changes to prevent future escape attempts.
