Two 12-Year-Old Boys Die After Car Strikes Them on School Route in Dinslaken

Two of the boys were transported to hospitals with very severe injuries and later died. The third boy sustained only minor injuries and did not require hospital treatment; he is being cared for by his parents.

Emergency Response and Witness Care

School crossing guards and witnesses reacted immediately and alerted emergency services. Emergency chaplains were deployed to the scene, and eyewitnesses at a nearby kiosk are receiving psychological care, according to police.

The police cordoned off the area extensively, and a specialized accident investigation team examined the crash site. As of Wednesday morning, the driver could not yet be questioned, so the exact course of the accident remained unclear. According to current information, nothing indicates an intentional act.

Medical Cause Under Investigation

Investigators later determined that the driver suffered a 16-second cardiac arrest at the wheel, according to information from police circles cited by dpa. The cardiac arrest was identified through evaluation of an implanted event recorder, a device that continuously monitors heart activity.

The driver had already caused an accident in May 2025 after a sudden fainting spell at the wheel, according to the Duisburg public prosecutor's office. After that incident, the event recorder device was implanted in the woman.

A spokesperson for the responsible driving license authority in Kreis Wesel stated that after the previous accident, a thorough evaluation of the required medical documents found no legal basis to revoke the driving license or impose conditions. "Nach eingehender und abschließender Auswertung der erforderlichen medizinischen Unterlagen bestand keine rechtliche Grundlage zum Entzug der Fahrerlaubnis oder zur Erteilung von Auflagen," the spokesperson said.

Legal and Political Reactions

The Duisburg public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation against the driver for negligent homicide. The office declined to comment on the question of cardiac arrest on Friday.

Mayor Simon Panke (SPD) announced that the affected secondary school would receive enhanced school social work, school psychological care, and pastoral support. He stated that anyone who observed the accident and needs pastoral support may contact the fire department.

NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) expressed his condolences. "Das sind furchtbare Nachrichten aus Dinslaken. Zwei Kinder sind auf dem Weg zur Schule aus dem Leben gerissen worden," Reul said. NRW School Minister Dorothee Feller (CDU) added, "Wir werden die Schulen mit allem unterstützen, was uns möglich ist," and confirmed that school psychologists are deployed at the schools.