Allegation of abuse

Marc D. in fear of death: threats in US harbor

Verena D. doesn't know what to do in the "Krone" interview. Her son Marc fell into an alleged Venus trap in Florida and is now in custody for child abuse and kidnapping. The IT technician is considered an introverted and kind-hearted person.

(Bild: Heinz Stephan Tesarek)

A 24-year-old Viennese man is still awaiting trial in Florida (USA) on child abuse and "kidnapping" charges - while the family cannot afford bail, Marc D. is now being threatened in prison. 

The D. family in Vienna-Favoriten are going through anxious hours. After the arrest of their son Marc, every single hour feels like a whole year for Verena (41), a simple delicatessen worker. But the mother-of-three must now remain strong: For her son imprisoned in Florida and his younger half-siblings (twelve and eight years old).

After the "Krone" report, a wave of sympathy rolls over the simple delicatessen employee, but the financial problems remain.

Verena D. doesn't know what to do in the "Krone" interview. Her son Marc fell into an alleged Venus trap in Florida and is now in prison for child abuse and kidnapping. The IT technician is considered an introverted and kind-hearted person.

(Bild: Heinz Stephan Tesarek)

Especially because Marc's bail alone is already 160,000 euros and the amount is simply impossible to raise: "We're scraping everything together, but we won't get him out," says Verena D. with tears in her eyes. The other legal fees are also likely to be astronomical. Lawyer Carl-Christian Thier is trying to pull the strings in the background to hire top experts in US criminal law at the minimum rate, but even their "basket money" is not without its price tag.

We scrape together everything we can, but we won't get him out.

Die verzweifelte Mutter zur „Krone“

Without bail, Marc's life isat stake
 Thier explains: "I can help a little, but you need a whole team of lawyers for such a delicate case." In the meantime, Marc not only has to deal with terrible prison conditions, but his life is also in danger. Fellow inmates are likely to have found out the reasons for his imprisonment and for suspected sex offenders and child abductors, this can have dire consequences - and not only in the USA. Verena D.: "I'm trembling for his life now!"

The messages from her son in prison are terrifying. "Hi, please get me out on bail. People (...) are threatening me now. I haven't said anything and I'm not saying anything now," he wrote. Marc is an IT technician and is considered an introverted and kind-hearted person.

The fact that the sometimes very suggestive messages from his 15-year-old chat friend will probably not be admitted in court is particularly bitter. The family's last hope now is that the American law enforcement agency will find the girl's fake ID - on which she was 19 years old, by the way. A thriller of nerves - and time is running out!

Anwalt im Interview

Fake-Ausweise sind ein Problem

Kronen Zeitung: Mr. Thier, your law firm is representing Marc, what is the status of his case?
Carl-Christian Thier: We are still waiting for the investigation to be completed, then we can develop a strategy.

What does the accused need now?
Quite frankly, a lot of money and a whole team of lawyers. The allegations are serious.

Help for Marc D.

• Donation account: AT 06 1400 0177 1001 6780
• to the fundraising campaign

But the girl is said to have shown him a fake ID?
We can't verify that yet, but fake IDs are generally widespread in Florida. However, ignorance does not protect against punishment.

What does Marc D. face now? 
Up to 30 years in prison for all offenses. But we really hope that we can successfully defend him against the prosecution's charges.