Two Childcare Workers Receive Suspended Sentences for Toddler's Death in Gelsenkirchen Daycare

A 2-year-old boy's 2021 death in a daycare bed was ruled preventable, leading to convictions for negligent homicide and compensation for the boy's parents.

• The Essen Regional Court sentenced two childcare workers to six months of suspended prison time for negligent homicide after a toddler's death in their care.
• The incident occurred in August 2021 when a 2-year-old boy suffocated in a daycare bunk bed due to an unsecured wooden panel that fell on his neck.
• The court found the childcare workers failed in their duty of supervision, noting the child had previously wandered unsupervised from the daycare to a nearby playground.
• The unsecured wooden panel was deemed a construction defect, but the court ruled the workers should have been present to prevent the fatal outcome.
• In addition to the suspended sentences, the court ordered each defendant to pay €5,000 in damages to the boy's parents, overturning an earlier acquittal by a lower court.

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Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung Stern Stern