A big bang in the Leon case: The Innsbruck public prosecutor’s office has completed the investigation into the death of the six-year-old boy who drowned in the Kitzbüheler Ache in St. Johann in Tirol in August 2022. Charges have been filed against the suspected father (39), who is in custody, for the crime of murder and the crime of feigning an act punishable by law.
“The Public Prosecution Service accuses the man – to whom the presumption of innocence applies – of deliberately killing his six-year-old son, who had suffered from the so-called ‘Syngap syndrome’ since birth, by throwing him into the Kitzbüheler, which was was currently under water. “Pain threw or pushed, therefore the child drowned and could only be rescued dead about 1,500 meters downstream on a sandbank,” the Public Prosecution Service said in a statement.
Father allegedly faked a robbery
Justice also assumes that the suspect then “pretended a robbery by hitting himself on the back of the head with a bottle that he had brought to the crime scene.” The suspect continues to deny the allegation, it was said.
As is known, it was initially believed that the father had been robbed in the case, which also made international headlines. The man was said to have been knocked unconscious with a bottle that night and robbed by an unknown person on a promenade next to the Ache. The six-year-old reportedly got out of the stroller on his own, fell into the stream and drowned.
More than 60 people interviewed, 100 DNA traces analyzed
More than sixty people were interviewed during the research. “Several expert reports have been obtained in the fields of forensic medicine, neurology and psychiatry and data forensics. About 100 DNA traces were analyzed and linked to about 50 different people. The recordings from several surveillance cameras have been viewed and assessed. Various data carriers, such as mobile phones and laptops, have been investigated, partly by IT experts. Telephone data was evaluated and it was checked which mobile phones were logged in at the crime scene at the time of the crime,” the public prosecutor continues.
After an unknown person was initially investigated on suspicion of theft, the current suspect was finally arrested at the end of February 2023 by order of the Public Prosecution Service. He has been in custody since then.
An objection can still be lodged against the charges
The father and his defense now have two weeks to object to the charges. A date for the jury hearing has therefore not yet been set.
More coming soon!
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.
