Tuttlingen: 19-year-old charged with cybergrooming and incitement to suicide
A teenager from Tuttlingen district has been arrested for allegedly founding a sadistic "COM" network that pushes children towards self-harm and suicide. He faces charges including two counts of attempted murder.
Arrest following investigation into suicide network
Special operations units from Rottweil criminal police have arrested a 19-year-old from Tuttlingen district. According to nrwz.de, the public prosecutor's office accuses the suspect of founding a so-called "COM" network. This is a group whose members deliberately put minors under pressure to harm themselves or take their own lives.
The arrest took place in the early hours of Monday on the basis of a warrant. The Cybercrime Centre Baden-Württemberg, based at the Karlsruhe General State Prosecutor's Office, worked with Rottweil criminal police directorate on the investigation. At the same time, police forces searched five premises and secured electronic evidence. The 19-year-old is in custody awaiting trial.
Methods of COM groups
According to investigators, members of such networks deliberately seek contact with psychologically vulnerable children and young people. They use pressure, deception and threats to compel their victims to self-harm, to send naked images, or to attempt suicide. The injuries frequently bear symbols of the group or the name of the perpetrator and are documented via video or livestream.
The suspect is alleged to have founded and actively operated such a network. The accusation also includes founding a criminal organisation as ringleader.
Specific charges against the suspect
The 19-year-old is accused of attempting, together with accomplices, in at least two cases to compel young people via streaming platforms to commit suicide. According to the authorities, this resulted in life-threatening actions by the victims. Those affected include an unidentified child and a teenager living abroad. In three further cases, he is alleged to have compelled girls aged 12 to 15 to self-harm.
He is alleged to have persuaded a 13-year-old girl from Germany to send naked images of herself. He is also accused of aggravated assault. The charges include a total of two counts of attempted murder.
Legal consequences remain open
Although the suspect is 19 years old, he is treated legally as a young adult. The court will later decide whether juvenile or adult criminal law applies. Until conviction becomes final, the presumption of innocence applies.
The Cybercrime Centre announced that it will consistently continue investigations against further members of such groups. Anyone participating in these networks must expect criminal prosecution.
Help for suicidal thoughts: Telephone counselling available 24 hours a day on 0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222, online at telefonseelsorge.de. Children and young people: Nummer gegen Kummer 116 111. Parents: Elterntelefon 0800 111 0 550. Emergencies: 112.
Source: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung