Support Initiated for Siblings Following Rescue of Four-Year-Old

In the wake of a dramatic rescue of a four-year-old boy from the Danube Canal in Vienna, local child and youth services (MA 11) have taken decisive action to ensure the safety of the child and his family. Preliminary investigations indicated that the child had been unattended for several hours, raising serious concerns about his welfare.

The boy's seven-year-old brother was removed from the family environment and placed in a crisis center as part of a comprehensive risk assessment conducted by authorities. A representative from MA 11, Ingrid Pöschmann, confirmed that once the four-year-old is discharged from the hospital, he too will be relocated to the crisis center with his brother.

Witnesses reported seeing the child floating in the water near the Augarten Bridge, prompting immediate action from a nearby construction worker who bravely rescued him from the cold water and initiated life-saving measures. The child was subsequently taken to a local hospital by the Vienna emergency services, where he has made significant progress in his recovery.

At the time of his rescue, the boy was found to be severely hypothermic, unconscious, and not breathing. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident revealed complications due to the child's limited ability to communicate, making it difficult for police to locate his parents initially. It wasn't until later in the evening that the parents reported him missing to local authorities.

The father, a 40-year-old Austrian national with roots in Saudi Arabia, explained that he and the mother had taken their children to school earlier that day before parting ways. The mother, aged 42, was later found to be alone with the younger child when she realized he was missing and subsequently began searching for him. After an exhaustive search along the New Danube and at various nearby locations, the parents approached the police for assistance.

Upon learning that their son had already been rescued hours earlier, the parents expressed distress over their inability to locate him sooner. The mother has been reported to the authorities due to the conditions under which the four-year-old was left unsupervised, while the father is considered a witness in the ongoing investigation. Further inquiries into the mother's circumstances are anticipated.

This incident has drawn attention to the ongoing support provided by MA 11, which has been involved with the family for the past two years, offering parenting guidance and outpatient support due to a family health issue. The agency noted that prior to this incident, their collaboration with the family had been productive.