The Consequences of Fabian's Death: Reactions of His Relatives, the Search for the Murderer, and Statements From the School

Güstrow - At the weekend, Dorina L. still hoped that her son would walk through the door at any moment. But on Tuesday this hope was finally dashed. The police informed the devastated mother that her eight-year-old son was dead.

Little Fabian from Güstrow had been missing since Friday evening. Police officers, firefighters and volunteers searched for the boy for days. They combed through forests, bodies of water and questioned neighbors. But all leads came to nothing - until a walker made a terrible discovery on Tuesday morning.

At the edge of a wooded area near Klein Upahl, a small village with only 230 inhabitants, the woman came across the body of a child. Her dog had struck and she immediately alerted the police. A short time later there was sad certainty: it was Fabian.

Investigators now assume that the child was the victim of a crime. " According to the current state of the investigation, it can be assumed that he was the victim of a third party", the police and public prosecutor's office announced . A spokesperson later clarified : "A violent crime must be assumed." A forensic examination will now clarify exactly how Fabian died.

The investigators are faced with the sad task of establishing the identity of the dead boy beyond doubt. The relatives of the missing Fabian were unable to identify him themselves - the pain is too great.

"I wouldn't want to do that either. That turns suspicion into certainty. But certainty is very important for what happens next. Somehow, though, the whole story is kind of strange," wrote one person.

"For understandable reasons, the relatives have refused to carry out the identification themselves, so the second option is a DNA test," explained police spokesman Nowak when asked by RTL. The result is not yet available, but the officers are working at full speed. "The investigation is being carried out completely, comprehensively and in such a way that we will hopefully come to quick results , " Nowak continued.

"Really tragic, but somehow there's also a bad aftertaste to the whole story — like something isn't right," another commenter added.

It will take several days to analyze the DNA samples. However, the results of the autopsy could be available as early as Thursday - and thus perhaps the first clues as to the cause of the child's death.

A trail leads nowhere

Just one day before the body was found, sniffer dogs had struck the Inselsee near Güstrow - four animals independently of each other. Divers then searched the water and the shore for hours, but without any results. The lake is about ten kilometers away from where the body was found. It is not yet clear whether Fabian was killed there and his body then taken to the edge of the forest.

Forensic experts and a forensic pathologist are also working meticulously to secure evidence at the site of the discovery. Since Tuesday afternoon, dog teams have again been deployed to pick up possible tracks. Every last trace could be decisive in finding the perpetrator.

A community in shock

The death of the boy has deeply shaken Güstrow and the surrounding villages. People who had put up posters or helped search in the woods just days before are in shock. Many of them laid flowers and candles in front of the church on Tuesday evening.

His mother Dorina is currently being looked after by psychologically trained staff, according to a statement from the Rostock public prosecutor's office. According to the authorities, the father, who lives separately from her, has refused counseling. Both parents are said to be in close contact with the investigators.

The search for answers

There are still many unanswered questions: Why did Fabian suddenly disappear on Friday evening? Why did he leave his cell phone at home? And who could have done something to him?

One thing is certain: the police are following up every lead. Large-scale search operations had already been launched on Friday evening. Over a hundred officers, including dog teams and drones, were involved. One trail led briefly into a forest near Zehna, then disappeared.

The discovery in Klein Upahl, around 15 kilometers from Fabian's home, is now the sad conclusion of a desperate search - and at the same time the start of a new phase of the investigation.

Investigators hope to soon find out who took the eight-year-old boy's life with the help of the latest trace technology and the work of sniffer dogs. It is still unclear what happened in the last hours of Fabian's short life. But one thing is certain: the search for the truth has only just begun.