Skull drilled open?

13-year-old in the operating theater: team now denies allegations

In January, a 33-year-old farmer underwent emergency skull surgery at Graz University Hospital.

(Bild: Tobilander - stock.adobe.com / KroneMED)

After it was discovered that a 13-year-old girl had actively participated in an emergency operation at Graz University Hospital, the Styrian State Office of Criminal Investigation began an investigation. The final report is now available: According to the report, the surgical team did not notice anything suspicious after all.

During an emergency operation on a farmer who was seriously injured in a forestry accident, a neurosurgeon at Graz University Hospital is said to have taken her 13-year-old daughter into the operating room with her. This happened in January of this year. The sensational case came to light through a report in the "Krone" newspaper.

"Drill hole made in the skull"
According to the victim's lawyer, the teenager was not only present, but even actively participated in the operation. "There is evidence that those involved in the hospital admitted that the 13-year-old had drilled the hole in the patient's skull," said Peter Freiberger in an interview with the "Krone" newspaper last month.

Statements twisted?
The final report from the Styrian State Office of Criminal Investigation is now available, and the prosecution is investigating a total of seven people (three doctors and four surgical assistants) on suspicion of grievous bodily harm caused by an improperly performed operation. The main accused is the mother of the 13-year-old girl.

Public prosecutor's office spokesman Hansjörg Bacher.

(Bild: Jürgen Radspieler)

"Need to check credibility"
Not only she, but all others present at the time now deny the allegations. Hansjörg Bacher, spokesman for the public prosecutor's office in Graz, confirmed a report to this effect in the Salzburger Nachrichten: "At the moment, none of the accused have fully pleaded guilty. Some of them said they did not see the minor being assaulted". The public prosecutor's office must now examine the credibility of the statements.

The presumption of innocence applies to all defendants.

Mädchen im OP-Saal

Chronologie eines Skandals

• The forestry accident occurred on the morning of 13 January 2024. 
• On the same day, the victim, who was unconscious, underwent surgery and his skull was drilled at exactly 2.47 pm (time determined by the executive). According to internal hospital investigations, the 13-year-old daughter of an attending neurosurgeon is said to have operated the instrument.
• The patient remains in intensive care foreleven days and the farmer is still unable to work.
• On April 26 , an anonymous complaint was sent by post to the public prosecutor's office in Graz. Initially, they thought it was a bad joke. Eventually an investigation is launched.
• On 25 May, Kages reacted for the first time to the rumors that had been circulating internally for weeks and suspended the doctors in charge of the operation. Both have since been dismissed without notice.
• The "Krone" brought the case to light on June 7, resulting in a wave of outrage and enormous media coverage.
• It was not until a month later - on July 8 - that the Styrian who had been involved in the accident was informed by the police that he was a witness in an investigation.
• To date, no contact has been made with the patient by the Graz University Hospital or the Kages.
• The Styrian State Office of Criminal Investigation has now presented its final report. According to the report, the seven defendants claim to have seen nothing of the 13-year-old's surgical activity. The public prosecutor must now examine the credibility of the statements.