Overview

• The trial at the Heidelberg regional court opened as the mother, accused of injecting pathogens into her three-year-old daughter, appeared on crutches and declined to testify.
• Prosecutors allege the mother induced illness in her daughter over seven weeks in summer 2023, leading to severe infections and invasive medical treatments, including a bone marrow puncture.
• A psychiatric expert suspects the mother may suffer from Münchhausen-by-proxy syndrome, a condition where caregivers fabricate or induce illnesses in dependents for attention.
• The prosecution is seeking the mother's placement in a psychiatric facility, citing an emotionally unstable personality disorder and opioid dependency.
• The court has scheduled six sessions through early June, with 19 witnesses and two expert testimonies expected to provide evidence, including medical and psychiatric evaluations.