Unfortunately, a Tyrolean swimming teacher was not watching when his little protégé went down. The procedure after the tragic incident in 2017 was once stopped, but a medical report led to the resumption. It was about negligent homicide.
A nightmare for all involved, for parents and sister probably the great tragedy of their lives: In 2017, a 5-year-old died tragically during swimming lessons in the “Aquarena” in Kitzbühel.
What happened? The experienced sports teacher had to move to deeper water because of a swimming pool partition, eight children had to move with “pool noodles”. According to later reconstructions, the suspect (52) did not notice that one of the heads was missing for at least four minutes. Only other children pointed out to him that the 5-year-old floated motionless underwater. Desperate attempts at resuscitation were followed a week later by the boy’s death in hospital.
Expert: Rescue possible with quick reaction
A report from then-forensic medicine found that the 5-year-old could also have died of heart disease, and the procedure was abandoned. However, the parents filed a civil suit – and things turned around: an expert ruled out a heart attack and the boy could have been saved if he had reacted within three minutes. Shortly before the statute of limitations, the course leader was in court after almost six years for manslaughter through gross negligence. Next to him is his father, who even had to quit his old job as a result of the terrible drama. And nodded sadly when the previously innocent accused apologized and confessed everything.
Sentence: eight months suspended and a fine of 960 euros (final). He transferred 10,000 euros in mourning money to the family, further claims are still pending.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
