Leon (6) drowned – parents offer €30,000 for crucial information

This is a matter that seems far from resolved. Which still raises many questions. And that is a challenge for the researchers. Florian Apler (37) walked around 4 a.m. on Sunday 28 August with his son Leon (6), who suffered from severe insomnia and was in a buggy with his health problems, in the area of ​​the so-called Redford Promenade in St.Johann for a walk.

Bottle pulled over the head
Suddenly, a still unknown perpetrator is said to have pulled a bottle over his head. “He fell unconscious on the ground and remained there. The perpetrator probably stole his wallet and mobile phone and then fled,” says Katja Tersch, head of the LKA Tyrol. Both were detained near the crime scene. “Around 5:20 a.m., the 37-year-old was found by a passerby who called the rescue service,” Tersch said.

‘The child should have climbed out of the pram himself’
According to the police, the father immediately inquired about his son, who had suffered from an extremely rare gene effect (syngap syndrome) since birth. Tragic: An hour later, the boy was found dead by the emergency services in the Kitzbüheler Ache. “The child must have gotten out of the pram under its own power and fell into the river where it was carried away and 600 meters downstream it could only be found dead,” Tersch continued. According to the autopsy report, Leon drowned and there was no evidence of previous violence.

The investigations of the Tyrolean police have been in full swing from the start, but have so far not led to any hot leads. For days, police have been calling on potential witnesses to contact them with information.

Parents are encouraged to report information
The parents definitely want to contribute and actively support the investigators. Therefore, they have now decided to take an unusual step. “The perpetrator must finally be caught. To support the police in solving this crime, we – in close cooperation with the police – ask for your help in solving this terrible crime. We call on you to report any information, however useful, to the detectives of the Tiroler Staatsrecherche on 0043/59133 703333 or to any police station,” the two emphasize in an interview with “Krone”. Tersch, who supports this project, takes all the information and works it through meticulously.

“Reward is on deposit”
In the same breath, the parents seeking help also sit up and note: “Information or tips that, according to the police confirmation, lead to the investigation into the perpetrator, will be rewarded with the payment of 30,000 euros. Multiple causative information or clues are assessed based on their respective weighting.” The “reward” will be deposited in trust and will be paid out by the trustee after appropriate evaluation. The legal procedure is excluded.

This idea did not come from themselves, but from a police officer. “He works in another country. He contacted us, told us about it and emphasized that this road had already led to success in other countries. That is why we decided to do it,” reveal Sandra and Florian. This researcher also supports the parents with an amount of several thousand euros.

“Support from home and abroad assured”
The 30,000 euros is already ready. “In addition, we have already received confirmation from home and abroad. Anyone who wants to support our project financially can of course always do so,” Sandra and Florian explain. “Even when Leon was alive, we tried to get the most out of every difficult situation. It is a huge burden for us to know that the perpetrator is still at large.”