Rostock Court Rejects Closed Session Request in Fabian Murder Trial

The Landgericht Rostock is hearing the murder case of eight‑year‑old Fabian, whose body was found in October 2025 near a pond (the "Wildschweinkuhle") close to Klein Upahl. The 30‑year‑old accused, who remains silent, is alleged to have stabbed the boy and then set the body on fire to destroy evidence. Over six weeks of proceedings, prosecutors have presented more than 150 photographs of the crime scene and a detailed 3D reconstruction, prompting the presiding judge Holger Schütt to warn the roughly 90 courtroom spectators about the graphic nature of the images.

On the ninth hearing, the court denied a request from Fabian’s mother, who acted as a side plaintiff, to close the public viewing of the forensic report. Judge Schütt stated that the images of the heavily burned corpse had already been displayed in earlier sessions, reducing any potential infringement of the postmortem personality right. The prosecution argued that the forensic details are essential for understanding the manner of death, while the mother’s counsel cited postmortem dignity concerns.

The trial continues with the defendant in pre‑trial detention, and the court has ordered the forensic report to remain publicly accessible.