A German mayor-elect has accused her adopted teenage daughter of torturing her for hours in the basement of their home before stabbing her 13 times in a frenzied attack that left her fighting for her life.
Iris Stalzer, 57, told police investigating the brutal assault that her 17-year-old adopted daughter attempted to set her hair and clothes ablaze using deodorant spray and a lighter before repeatedly knifing her in the stomach and back.
The Social Democratic Party politician, who was elected mayor of Herdecke just days earlier, also sustained severe blunt-force injuries to her skull including multiple haematomas and fractures. Despite the life-threatening nature of her wounds, medical staff confirmed Stalzer’s condition has stabilised.
Speaking to German investigators from her hospital bed, the mother described being tormented for hours inside the basement of her house in the western German town on 7 October.
According to German tabloid Bild, which obtained details from police sources, Stalzer said her adopted daughter attacked her with two knives whilst attempting to set fire to her hair and clothing using aerosol deodorant.
The adopted teenager told police she wanted revenge but refused to reveal the specific cause of her rage, it is understood. Prosecutors confirmed the answers Stalzer provided to authorities incriminated her daughter following questioning of both the girl and Stalzer’s 15-year-old adopted son.
The shocking attack comes just weeks after the 17-year-old allegedly lunged at Stalzer with a knife in a previous domestic violence incident during the summer, according to multiple German media outlets including Der Spiegel.
A special homicide squad was deployed to investigate the case and swiftly announced that a family connection was suspected rather than a politically motivated attack.
Emergency services were alerted at 12.05pm on Tuesday, 7 October, when the daughter telephoned claiming her mother had been attacked by several men outside their home in an attempted robbery. However, investigators quickly determined this account was fabricated.
Police discovered one of the knives used in the vicious assault inside the 15-year-old son’s backpack. Blood-stained clothing belonging to the family was also recovered during forensic examination of the scene.
A neighbour revealed they heard chilling screams emanating from the property just moments before the mayor-elect was stabbed.
“Half an hour before the rescue helicopter landed, I heard the boy and his mother arguing. They were literally screaming at each other,” the neighbour told German media.
The neighbour added that screams were frequently heard coming from the mayor’s residence, suggesting a pattern of domestic disturbance at the property.
Forensic investigators discovered that a large stain of blood had been removed from surfaces inside the home, indicating attempts had been made to eliminate evidence from the crime scene.
Police sources told Bild they believe Stalzer sat bleeding in her armchair in the living room for an extended period whilst the two alleged suspects cleaned the house to remove traces of the attack.
The 17-year-old daughter initially called emergency services reporting the false story about multiple male attackers. The son supported this fabricated account, claiming to police that several men had been involved in stabbing his mother.
However, attending officers found Stalzer sitting in a chair inside the property with multiple stab wounds, immediately contradicting the teenagers’ claims that the attack occurred outdoors.
Police investigator Jens Rautenberg confirmed at a press conference in the nearby city of Hagen that when questioned on Tuesday evening, Stalzer identified her daughter as the attacker.
Rautenberg declined to provide details about a possible motive or the nature of the family conflict that preceded the stabbing, stating these remained matters for ongoing investigation.
Senior public prosecutor Bernd Halldorn explained that the case is currently classified as grievous bodily harm rather than attempted murder, partly because the daughter called emergency services herself, which could be interpreted as resignation from the crime.
Prosecutors announced that despite the severity of the allegations, no arrest warrant will be issued due to German laws concerning juvenile suspects. Instead, both children have been released and handed over to the youth welfare office.
When asked why the suspects were not transferred to their father’s custody, prosecutors revealed that the father had also previously been a victim of violence perpetrated by the daughter, suggesting a disturbing pattern of behaviour.
Regional broadcaster WDR reported that police had been called to Stalzer’s house on multiple occasions in the past due to reports of domestic violence within the family.
Stalzer had only recently been elected mayor for the 22,500-inhabitant town in the Ruhr region following a runoff vote on 28 September. She narrowly secured victory with 52.2 per cent of the vote against centre-right Christian Democrat candidate Fabian Conrad Haas.
Her term of office was scheduled to begin on 1 November. The newly elected mayor is a qualified lawyer who specialises in employment law and has lived in Herdecke for virtually her entire life, having previously served on the city council.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, leader of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union, condemned the attack on social media shortly after news broke.
“We have received news of a terrible deed in Herdecke. It must be swiftly investigated. We fear for the life of the mayor-elect and hope for her full recovery,” Merz stated.
Stalzer was airlifted by rescue helicopter to Knappschaft University Hospital in Bochum, where she underwent emergency surgery. Medical staff initially described her injuries as life-threatening, though authorities subsequently confirmed her life was no longer in danger.
The attack sent shockwaves through the town of approximately 23,000 residents situated in the North Rhine-Westphalia region between Hagen and Dortmund. The city administration released a statement expressing shock and disbelief at the incident.
First Deputy Mayor Dennis Osberg said the media reports about the police operation at Stalzer’s home had caused shock and dismay amongst the city administration, adding that he sincerely wished her a speedy recovery.
Stalzer’s electoral rival Fabian Haas, whom she defeated in the mayoral race, stated his thoughts were with her and her family during this difficult time.
The incident has raised uncomfortable questions about whether warnings signs were missed by authorities, with reports emerging that Stalzer may have written a letter to the youth welfare office shortly before the attack requesting support with her family situation.
German media outlets have reported the existence of what has been described as a “fire letter” sent to youth welfare officials, though the specific contents and timing of this communication have not been confirmed by authorities.
The attack on Stalzer initially sparked fears of politically motivated violence following a string of assaults on German politicians in recent years. The country was profoundly shaken by the 2019 murder of Walter Lübcke, a regional government official who supported pro-refugee policies, who was shot dead by a neo-Nazi extremist on the terrace of his home.
However, investigators swiftly determined there was no indication the attack on Stalzer was politically motivated, instead pointing to domestic circumstances as the likely cause.
The decision not to arrest the teenage suspects despite the serious nature of the allegations has sparked debate about Germany’s juvenile justice system and whether adequate protections exist for victims of domestic violence.
The youth welfare office will now determine what measures should be taken regarding the children whilst the investigation continues. The office has authority to decide on placement and supervision arrangements for both teenagers pending any potential criminal proceedings.
Prosecutors emphasised that the investigation remains active and all possibilities are being explored as forensic teams continue to analyse evidence recovered from the scene.
The case has drawn attention to the challenges faced by families dealing with violent behaviour from adolescents and the difficult balance between protecting victims and managing juvenile offenders within the legal framework.
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