Five-year-old missing in Bavaria: Big search ends lightly!

Five-year-old missing in Bavaria: Big search ends lightly!

A shocking incident occurred at a campsite in Leipheim, Bavaria, where a five-year-old girl went missing for several hours. On Wednesday evening, the child went to play with her eight-year-old brother. But when her brother returned without her, alarm bells rang for her parents. After a fruitless two-hour search, they contacted the police, who immediately launched a large-scale search operation. Around 200 emergency services were involved, supported by helicopters and rescue dog teams. The search focused particularly on the adjacent lakes and bodies of water, supported by the DLRG and water rescue services. The girl was finally found the next day around 2 a.m. in a ditch next to a dirt road, where she was sleeping in the tall grass and was woken up by the search efforts. She was tired but uninjured and was immediately handed over to her concerned parents. This dramatic search shows the efforts of emergency services and the strain on families in such situations. Merkur reports that ...

As the most recent incident makes clear, the issue of missing children is of great relevance in Bavaria. In 2022, 11,899 children and young people were reported missing. The majority of these cases, around 76 percent, were resolved within three days. However, many children remain missing for long periods of time. As of January 29, 2025, 156 children and 467 young people in Bavaria are currently missing, including around 500 cases for more than three months. The state and federal governments have dealt with this issue in detail and generally do not register any reference to violence in most cases. Many children are often runaways who run away from home and usually come back. Br.de provides information about these worrying numbers.

Concern for unaccompanied refugees

A significant proportion of missing children are unaccompanied minor refugees who are often missing for many years. The police do not dare to assume that crimes have been committed in these cases, as Bavaria is often just a transit station. Parents are therefore advised to contact the police immediately if they are concerned about their child's whereabouts. It is important to pass on any information, even if it seems insignificant. N-TV highlights the importance of quick reports.

Concern for missing children is present in society. The police believe that in many cases there is no crime involved, which gives hope, but the uncertainty always remains a great burden for the families affected. Parents should therefore pay more attention to their children and act immediately if necessary.