Fourthly arrested after murder in Zella-Mehlis: girls arrested!

Fourthly arrested after murder in Zella-Mehlis: girls arrested!

Around three weeks after the tragic find of a body in Zella flour, Thuringia, the riddle about the death of a 23-year-old man continues. On June 23, 2025, the man's body was discovered in a stream without the exact cause of death being found at that time. Now the investigation has come a step further: Two girls aged 15 and 16 have been arrested today, as mdr

Before that, two 19-year-old men had been arrested in Meiningen and Zella-Mehli with suspicion of murder. These arrests took place on July 11, 2025. The two men are now in custody, provided with arrest warrants. In today's arrests of the young people, it is assumed that they are also connected to the murder in any form. So far, the Meiningen public prosecutor has not published any further information so as not to endanger the ongoing investigations.

uncertain circumstances and investigation

The exact cause of death and the circumstances of the incident remain in the dark for the time being, which presents the investigators with additional challenges. So far it is only known that the body was found on June 23. A forensic medical examination should provide information about the background.

In Germany, the discussion about youth crime is increasing more and more. According to Statista , the youth power reached a maximum in 2024 with around 13,800 cases. This is more than twice as high as in 2016. The increase in violence is particularly worrying in the age groups 14 to 17 years and 18 to 20 years, which suggests under the underlying social pressure. The pandeme -related psychological stress could also have led to an increase in violence and crime among young people.

The role of young people in criminal law

One of the central questions in this context is the application of criminal law to children and adolescents, especially in the case of serious crimes such as murder. In the discussion about reducing punishment and tougher sanctions, the focus of early prevention focuses on. The statistics show that the majority of young suspects are male, which indicates various social and psychological factors that need to be understood.

These tragic events make it clear, there is something in our society, and it is high time that we deal with the background and possible solutions. We must not forget that it is not only about punitive measures, but also about prevention - especially when it comes to today's youth.