Four-year-old child dies after dog attack in Drosa

According to police, emergency chaplains were caring for the child's mother. Police officers were looked after by a crisis intervention team. The authority thereby relied on a well-established procedure for traumatic operations.

According to media reports, the dog was a pit bull. According to these reports, the animal is said to have belonged to the family of the killed girl. These animals weigh 30 to 40 kilograms and are considered extremely powerful.

Investigations for negligent homicide were opened against the 32-year-old mother and a 30-year-old acquaintance, both German citizens. The investigating authorities announced this. Police initially provided no further details on the course of events and the circumstances.

Investigations against mother and acquaintance

The sequence of events and the exact location remained unclear on Thursday morning. Police announced they would further clarify the matter during the course of the day.

The municipality of Osternienburger Land belongs to the Anhalt-Bitterfeld district in the east of Saxony-Anhalt. The region has a rural character. Drosa is a district of the unitary municipality.

The authorities informed media and the public on Thursday about the incident from the previous day. Until then, police had provided no details on the events.

Reactions and dismay

A spokesperson for the responsible police directorate spoke of a «furchtbaren Unglück». He expressed sympathy with the child's family.

«Ein Kind von nur vier Jahren sollte unbeschwert aufwachsen dürfen. Stattdessen hinterlässt diese unfassbare Tragödie eine Lücke, die niemals geschlossen werden kann.» A spokesperson said.

The crisis intervention team that cared for the deployed officers is a well-established structure in Saxony-Anhalt for psychological first aid after distressing operations. In addition to police officers, rescue workers and firefighters are also cared for.

Breed list in Saxony-Anhalt

The emergency pastoral care that looked after the child's mother works closely with the rescue services. It is activated when relatives are suddenly confronted with the death of a loved one.

A breed list for certain dog breeds applies in Saxony-Anhalt. This list includes pit bull, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Bull Terrier, among others. Owners of such animals must meet special requirements.

The Anhalt-Bitterfeld district, to which Osternienburger Land belongs, is one of the medium-sized districts in Saxony-Anhalt with approximately 157,000 inhabitants. The district capital is Köthen.

Police called on witnesses of the incident to come forward. The Dessau-Roßlau police directorate is accepting tips.

Further background on owner responsibility and dog breed regulations in Saxony-Anhalt remained open on Thursday.

Police appeal for witnesses

The incident triggered dismay nationwide. The tragedy also caused shock in Saxony-Anhalt's state politics.

Representatives of the CDU in the district expressed deep dismay over the incident. They announced discussions about possible consequences.

Andy Grabner, mayor of the municipality of Osternienburger Land, expressed his dismay. He extended his condolences to the relatives.

The investigations against the mother and acquaintance for negligent homicide are ongoing. No information about possible additional suspects or injured persons initially became known.