Overview

• Pawlos, a six-year-old autistic boy, disappeared from his special-needs school in Weilburg on March 25 and was found drowned in the Lahn River on Easter Sunday, April 20.
• A forensic autopsy confirmed on April 22 that Pawlos drowned shortly after his disappearance, prompting scrutiny of school supervision protocols by the Limburg prosecutor’s office.
• On April 30, an ecumenical memorial service was held at the Schlosskirche Weilburg, attended by family, citizens, rescuers, and officials, to honor Pawlos’s life and mourn his loss.
• Hessian Interior Minister Roman Poseck and Limburg Bishop Georg Bätzing offered condolences and praised the community and rescue teams for their dedication during the weeks-long search.
• The large-scale search for Pawlos involved up to 600 personnel, including police, firefighters, volunteers, and specialized autism-sensitive tactics, but tragically ended with his recovery from the river.