German parents who murdered their disabled three-year-old daughter in Switzerland by drugging her and suffocating her with a tea towel because she “would never have a good life” were sentenced today to eight years in prison.
The verdict, handed down this morning at the Bremgarten District Court in Switzerland, concludes the tragic case that began in May 2020 in the quiet Swiss town of Haagglingen.
Parents Emilie T., 32, and Urs D., 34, decided to administer what they thought would be a lethal mix of baby milk and strawberry puree laced with a gram of MDMA (also known as ecstasy) and a sleeping pill to their severely disabled daughter Sophie.
Her three-year-old son suffered from cerebral palsy, could not walk or talk and suffered frequent seizures.
Unable to watch their daughter suffer, the parents took matters into their own hands, but the cocktail of drugs left the girl writhing and twitching for more than an hour.
Worried that the overdose would not be enough to end her life, the girl’s father placed a tea towel over Sophie’s nose and mouth before pressing his hand to her face and suffocating her to death.
The next morning, the couple called local emergency services and pretended to be innocent, claiming they had found their daughter dead in her crib.
The verdict, handed down this morning at the Bremgarten District Court in Switzerland, puts an end to the tragic case that began in May 2020.
According to Bremgarten’s court documents, Sophie’s parents were overwhelmed by her condition and considered her a “burden.”
The court heard how the couple took their son’s life into their own hands out of frustration and impatience, instead of seeking professional help.
As time went on, they began withdrawing their daughter from hospital appointments and refused suggested medical interventions that might have eased her suffering.
During this week’s trial, prosecutors revealed that the couple had canceled major surgery to insert a gastric tube that could have fed their daughter with minimal pain, falsely telling doctors that their daughter’s eating habits had improved.
Prosecutors described his actions as “cruel and insidious,” noting that the boy’s struggle to die lasted about an hour.
It was also revealed that the couple had attempted to kill their daughter using narcotic substances in the months leading up to the fatal incident.
After initially pretending they had found their daughter dead, Sophie’s parents eventually confessed, claiming they had “redeemed” the girl by ending her suffering.
“She suffered for her own life,” Emilie T. said in a shocking interview with the Swiss newspaper Aargau newspaper.
“I would never have been better off. I would never have been able to lead a good life.”
Prosecutors revealed at the trial that Urs D. had conducted research into “what would be the most humane and painless way” to end his daughter’s suffering.
Sophie’s parents are also said to have prepared MDMA and sleeping pills for Sophie twice beforehand without giving them to her.
“I couldn’t do it. She’s my little girl. It’s not something you just do,” Emilie T. said.
They finally carried out their plan on the night of May 6, 2020, and called authorities the next morning.
The parents had also reportedly prepared Sophie’s bottle with MDMA and sleeping pills twice before without giving it to her.
The case took another dark turn with the involvement of the boy’s 53-year-old maternal grandmother, who was charged with aiding and abetting the murder.
Prosecutors had initially requested 18-year prison sentences for both parents, plus a 15-year ban from Switzerland and a five-year sentence for the grandmother.
Investigators said she was aware of the couple’s plan and had emotionally supported them in their decision.
But the court ultimately sentenced the parents to eight years in prison each for the murder and chose to acquit the grandmother of all charges.
Swiss ethics experts said: 20 minutes that, although the parents felt they were acting in the best interests of their daughter, the murder conviction was justified.
“The dignity of every person is inviolable, regardless of their state of health,” said former ethics professor Thomas Gröbly.
“There is no such thing as an unworthy life, not even the greatest suffering can undermine dignity.”
Ruth Baumann-Hölzle from the Dialog Ethik Foundation adds: “There are many people with cerebral palsy who lead fulfilling lives. Most of them are also able to make their own decisions.”
“(Killing the girl) is active euthanasia and that is prohibited in Switzerland.”