Teachers Sentenced for Negligence in Drowning of Seven-Year-Old During Swim Class

A court in Konstanz found two educators guilty of negligent homicide after a child drowned in his first swim lesson in 2023, citing insufficient safety measures.

The incident occurred on September 18, 2023, during a second-grade swim lesson in Konstanz, where a seven-year-old boy drowned after being unsupervised for approximately one minute.
The court determined that the tragedy could have been prevented with better safety protocols, such as splitting the 21 students into smaller groups of swimmers and non-swimmers.
A 44-year-old teacher received a nine-month suspended sentence and was ordered to pay €10,000 in damages to the boy's family, while a 28-year-old trainee teacher received a six-month suspended sentence and a €7,000 compensation order.
The court ruled that the educators failed in their duty of care by allowing all students into the pool simultaneously without adequate oversight.
Both defendants have announced plans to appeal the verdict, which is not yet legally binding.