About two years ago, Melina (not her real name) died of a drug overdose. The father of the then 13-year-old took legal action against the Tiroler Kliniken. The first hearing on the girl’s death took place in Innsbruck on Friday. In addition to the father and aunt, doctors, psychologists and a caregiver also testified.
On August 12, 2020, Melina died of an overdose. The family had repeatedly begged for hospitalization – without success. Because without the girl’s will, no one could hold her. Mandatory housing is only possible if there is danger to others, suicidality or a health risk including a diagnosed underlying disease.
Melina’s father is suing the Tyrolean Kliniken. Amount in dispute: 20,000 euros funeral allowance. Most of all, he wants the health professionals to understand that Melina should have been placed because of self-harm. And that such a thing will never happen again.
A doctor of child and adolescent psychiatry in Hall, who examined Melina on August 3, 2020, found clear words in court: “Even from today’s perspective, I was not allowed to keep her there for legal reasons.” There was no acute suicidality.
‘She had no intention of committing suicide’
Markus Abwerzger, the family’s lawyer, explains that this was Melina’s fourth confession in five months. “It was clear to me that she had no intention of committing suicide,” explains the psychologist, who had a long conversation with the girl on August 3. When asked about the cuts by the plaintiff’s attorney, she said, “I remember it was something she did over and over, but yeah…”
According to a psychologist who spoke to the girl in July and before her latest release on August 5, Melina was also not suicidal: “She had her heart at heart and would have told us if she planned to kill herself.”
The doctor says the problem is the law
According to the aforementioned doctor, a person should only be forcibly placed in acute self-harm, not chronic self-harm. “My personal rating of ‘acute’ is about 12 to 24 hours,” the doctor says. According to the doctor, the problem is the law: “We don’t have a housing law that covers the nurturing aspect. You value freedom over caring. I can’t change that.”
On September 16, the regional court of Innsbruck will hold another hearing and will interrogate, among others, the doctor who released Melina on August 5. A week before her drug death – at the age of only 13.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
