Three children from a family from the Offenbach district gradually disappear from the care of the youth welfare office. The police and authorities seem at a loss.
City and district of Offenbach - This drama is all about the children of the D family. A good two years ago, Abdul, Mahmud and Fatima (names changed) were taken into care by the Offenbach district youth welfare office. In order to protect the children from the conditions in their parents' home, the youth welfare office has been observing an upward trend in the number of people being taken into care in Offenbach for some time.
If you read the file, “things would be different,” says an employee who did not want to be named. He doesn't want to reveal any more details. And what is described only reluctantly.
The three children are placed in care facilities
What is certain is that the Offenbach district fears problems with the family when the child is taken into care. The police are therefore brought on board. A corresponding operation “as part of a request for administrative assistance” is on file at the police headquarters in Southeast Hesse.
The three children are being placed in care facilities in northern Germany. The two boys in one, the girl apparently in another. Weeks pass. And there are probably also gatherings during this time where children are allowed to meet their parents when accompanied. At least that's what we hear from the ranks of the youth welfare office.
Child abduction investigations
Then in March 2022, the eldest son Abdul suddenly disappears from the facility. The criminal police in Offenbach are looking for the eleven-year-old and are asking the public for help. Felix Geiß, spokesman for the police headquarters in Southeast Hesse, says: “At that time, the criminal police filed a complaint about possible child abduction.”
The investigators assumed that the family had kidnapped their own child. The prosecution was later discontinued by the public prosecutor. Probably also because the family suddenly reported that Abdul had reappeared. The boy is now said to be living with the family again.
Perpetrator cannot be proven
In mid-2023, Fatima, then eleven years old, also suddenly disappeared from the youth welfare facility. Here too, the criminal police are investigating the father for child abduction, the responsible public prosecutor's office confirms. But this procedure will also be discontinued. “It was not possible to prove that the perpetrator was involved,” it says in the files. Neither the public prosecutor's office nor the youth welfare office want to confirm or deny whether Fatima ever appeared again - even though the proceedings have been completed.
A few weeks ago, the third case of missing persons occurred within the D family. Mahmud, now also eleven years old, disappeared from a care facility in northern Germany. The police searched for him without success. Then you decide again to involve the public.
The youngest has not yet been found
Due to his family connections, the police do not rule out the possibility that the boy is currently in Offenbach and the surrounding area, it is said. However, Mahmud has not yet been found. And again, according to the police, a case for possible child abduction is pending. The investigation is ongoing.
Existing legal situation exploited?
At first glance, why the youth welfare office and the police allowed the three children to gradually disappear under similar circumstances appears to be a complete failure of the authorities. If you speak confidentially to those involved in the proceedings, the matter appears in a different light: the father is allegedly continually exploiting the existing legal situation. Because his children go with him voluntarily every time and would describe it as such in interviews, it is actually not a case of child abduction under criminal law.
In addition, the family says that the children have disappeared, but they know that they are doing well. The authorities say that they cannot be forced to reveal their whereabouts.
Unfortunately, the fact that minors go missing again and again is not an isolated case. A girl from Offenbach was missing for several days.