A three-year-old girl missing since Wednesday in Preetz, near Kiel, drowned in a pool on her parents' property, a preliminary autopsy has confirmed. The child, who was autistic and had impaired vision and hearing, was found dead on Thursday morning after an extensive search.
The toddler had been reported missing by her parents around midday Wednesday. Search teams resumed operations at 7 a.m. Thursday involving police, fire brigades, and dog units, and discovered the body around 9:30 a.m. in a pool-like structure in the family's garden. Investigators noted that the pool had only been superficially checked during an initial sweep on Wednesday afternoon and was searched more thoroughly around midnight, but the child was not found at that time.
Police spokeswoman Stephanie Lage said foul play has been ruled out. Senior prosecutor Michael Bimler confirmed there were no indications of a violent crime. Authorities believe the child fell into the pool shortly after going missing and had already drowned before search efforts began.