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CRIME

Case closed against German girls in 12-year-old killing

German prosecutors said Monday they had closed their case against two schoolgirls who admitted stabbing to death a 12-year-old girl, as they were too young to be held criminally responsible.

Flowers and tributes placed where a 12-year-old girl was stabbed to death in Freudenberg, western Germany.
Flowers and tributes placed where a 12-year-old girl was stabbed to death in Freudenberg, western Germany. Photo: Roberto Pfeil

The victim, known only as Luise, had gone missing in March after leaving a friend’s house near the town of Freudenberg, in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Her body was found with multiple knife wounds the following day in a wooded area not far from her home.

Two girls aged 12 and 13 who knew Luise subsequently confessed to the murder.

But prosecutors said they have “closed the case because both suspects are below the age of criminal responsibility”.

READ ALSO: German schoolgirls confess to fatal stabbing of 12-year-old

In Germany, the age of criminal responsibility starts at 14.

Investigators said there was no sign a third party was involved in the stabbing.

In the aftermath of the killing, the schoolgirls had been placed in the care of youth welfare authorities.

According to local authorities, they are currently housed in “therapeutic facilities” and are receiving school lessons there.   

The case revived memories of the notorious 1993 murder of two-year-old James Bulger in England. The toddler was abducted and tortured before he was killed by two 10-year-old boys, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables.

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CRIME

German Die Linke politician attacked in Thuringia

A politician from Germany's socialist Die Linke party was insulted and attacked in a supermarket in Eisenberg, Thuringia on Friday.

German Die Linke politician attacked in Thuringia

At the supermarket checkout, a man insulted the party’s state election candidate Steffen Much without reason and grabbed him by his T-shirt, the party’s regional association said on Saturday.

Much was unharmed, according to party sources, and filed a police report against the attacker, who he knew.

“I am glad that Steffen Much was not physically harmed,” said the co-chairman of the Left Party’s regional association, Christian Schaft.

“Insults and attacks like these are intended to intimidate everyone who is committed to an open and democratic society.”

There have been several attacks on politicians across the country recently.

READ ALSO: German far-right AfD candidate attacked with knife in Mannheim

The Thuringia state elections take place on 1 September.

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