Proceedings for fatal accident on school trip dropped
The trial surrounding a fatal accident involving a boy on a school trip in the district of Diepholz, south of Bremen, has been provisionally suspended subject to conditions. The accused must pay a fine of 4000 euros to the Wolfsburg Children and Youth Protection Association, as the Verden District Court ruled on Wednesday. The public prosecutor's office had accused the employee of a forest education center of negligent homicide by omission. (Case number 4 Kls 6/23)
According to the indictment, the accident occurred in July 2019 during a school trip by a fifth-grade class from Wolfsburg. After an outdoor breakfast break, ten children were romping around on a wagon on the grounds of the forest education center. The 400-kilogram wagon started moving on the rails - and ran over the boy. All help came too late for the ten-year-old.
In the opinion of the public prosecutor's office, the employee of the forest education center should have checked the ready-to-run trolley and pointed out the danger.
The suspension of the trial highlights the complexity of criminal processes associated with the tragic accident. To prevent similar incidents, it's crucial to incorporate safety lessons in school curriculums, focusing on children's understanding of potential dangers in various environments.
Source: www.dpa.com
