Ukrainian mother found not criminally responsible, ordered into indefinite psychiatric care
A Ravensburg court ruled that a 34-year-old Ukrainian mother, who led her four-year-old daughter onto train tracks, is not criminally liable due to schizophrenia and must remain in a psychiatric facility.
In February, a 34-year-old Ukrainian refugee led her four-year-old daughter onto the rails of a closed railway crossing in Friedrichshafen, intending to be struck by an oncoming train. A bystander intervened, pulling them away moments before a collision could occur; the mother resisted and attempted to move back toward the tracks. The Landgericht Ravensburg found her suffering from schizophrenia and therefore not criminally responsible, resulting in a formal acquittal.
Nonetheless, the court ordered her indefinite placement in a psychiatric hospital. The prosecution had charged attempted murder, but the verdict reflected the medical assessment of her lack of culpability. The daughter is now placed with a foster family, while the mother remains under psychiatric care.
Why it matters
The case highlights how severe mental illness can affect criminal responsibility and child protection decisions.
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