Mönchengladbach (dpa) – In the trial against two teachers following the death of a 13-year-old student on a study trip, the defendants initially remained silent. The two women, aged 34 and 60, have been facing charges of negligent homicide before the Mönchengladbach regional court since Wednesday. The trial began more than four years after the death of a diabetic student on a trip to London.
The two defendants are said to have not explicitly asked about previous illnesses among the students at a preparatory meeting for the trip. But the legal guardians and the 13-year-old herself hadn’t pointed this out either. The student died in a hospital in London one day after the planned departure.
The teachers appeared in court with their hoods and face masks pulled low over their faces. Neither initially wanted to testify, but gave brief personal statements. The 60-year-old, a teacher for 28 years, spoke of a “stroke of fate” on the trip. The younger teacher said it was difficult to bear that a young person had died on the trip.
The indictment also revealed that the student, who shared a room with two friends, neglected to take the necessary blood sugar measurements and add insulin during the trip. Towards the end she was completely weakened. On the day of her scheduled departure, she was unable to dress herself. The friends brushed her teeth. Then the 13-year-old was taken to the hospital.
The trial began after years of legal wrangling. The father had asked the public prosecutor’s office to reopen the investigation and also ensured that the case be heard in the regional court. If found guilty, the penalty ranges from a fine to five years in prison. Experts and many witnesses are expected to be heard by May. These include teachers, Emily’s father and mother and classmates.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240116-99-636523/3
2024-01-17 19:14:26
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