Pensioner death investigated

The death of a pensioner whilst bathing in an old people's home has resulted in a criminal investigation

Whilst bathing using a mechanized bath lift, an 89-year-old woman died in Kraiburg (Kreis Mühldorf). Both the care home assistant involved in the accident and the leadership of the retirement home are now under investigation.

The elderly lady was bathed every Tuesday with the help of a mechanized bath lift. Despite being secured into the machine by a safety belt, the restraining device was obviously defective, and the woman fell a distance of around one meter onto the floor. People on the scene attempted immediate resuscitation attempts, but she was so badly hurt that her injuries were fatal. Questions have been raised about the functionality of the safety belt.

Police in Mühldorf have taken over leadership of the investigation. An autopsy was carried out on the body the following day at the Forensic Medicine Institute in Munich, where it was confirmed that the injuries sustained by the fall were indeed the cause of death.

While the care home assistant is being accused of negligent homicide, the care home management is also under investigation. There are accusations that there was a known technical defect with the safety belt that had been left unrepaired.