Terrible accident in Wehdem: Five-year-old girl dies!

Terrible accident in Wehdem: Five-year-old girl dies!

A tragic accident occurred on June 19, 2025 in Wehdem, in the Minden-Lübbecke district, North Rhine-Westphalia. A five-year-old girl was run over by a wheel loader and suffered such serious injuries that she died shortly afterwards. The incident occurred around 4:45 p.m. when the child was standing on the side of the road with an eight-year-old friend. The 21-year-old driver of the wheel loader initially stopped, but when the girl and her companion changed the road, he continued driving and ran over the child.

It is still unclear whether the driver overlooked the girl. Nevertheless, he showed “drug-typical abnormalities,” which immediately led to a drug test that confirmed his suspicions. A blood sample was taken and police seized the wheel loader, cell phone and driver's license. The Stemwede fire department and other rescue workers, including an emergency doctor and a rescue helicopter, were quickly on the scene. The injured girl was taken to the Johannes Wesling Clinic in Minden, where they fought in vain for her life.

Additional traffic accidents in the region

In a similar incident, a 56-year-old cyclist from Rahden was seriously injured. She didn't come home in the evening as planned, which prompted relatives to alert the police. The woman found this with her Pedelec on the “Langer Damm” street. Here too, a blood sample was taken because there was suspicion of alcoholism. The cyclist was wearing her helmet and was heading towards Varl when she fell for unknown reasons. The emergency services immediately looked after the injured person and, as in the little girl's serious accident, she was taken to the Johannes Wesling Clinic.

Unfortunately, such accidents are not uncommon. Every year in the EU, thousands of people lose their lives or suffer serious injuries in traffic accidents. According to a study by the EU, the number of traffic deaths fell by 36 percent between 2010 and 2020. Nevertheless, the risk remains high, especially for children and young adults. In 2018, children under 15 accounted for only 2 percent of traffic fatalities, showing that preventative measures are still needed to increase road safety.

The events surrounding the tragic accidents in North Rhine-Westphalia should make us all think and make it clear that caution is always required in road traffic. As the local community mourns the affected families, it is more important than ever to prevent accidents through responsible behavior and increased vigilance.

For further information about the tragic events, read here or here.