On 2 November 2026, police released an image in a search for a suspect, on the order of the district court, in Schwerin opens a photograph of the suspect and are asking for information about a woman who has not yet been identified. According to Rostock Police Headquarters, the woman is suspected of having, on 15 October 2025 in Schwerin, insulted a 13-year-old Syrian girl in the in Mueßer Holz and then physically attacked her. The girl was injured; a complaint was also filed alleging incitement to hatred.
According to the information available, extensive investigations by the Schwerin Criminal Investigation Department have so far failed to identify the suspect, which is why the authorities are making the image public following a court order. Police have provided the telephone number of the Schwerin Criminal Investigation Department and an email address as ways to submit information, and note that information can also be given at any police station.
According to the investigating authorities, the charges include causing bodily harm and incitement to hatred; the latter carries a maximum prison sentence of five years. Police said the decision to release a photograph in the search more than a year later was based on the progress of the investigation and a court review, which has now allowed a public appeal for information.
The statement from Rostock Police Headquarters is the primary source of information; the German Press Agency picked up the report, which was subsequently circulated by several regional and national media outlets. In cases involving allegations of violence with a possible racist motive, coordinated action across departments to protect victims and serve the interests of the investigation is important: the authorities must promptly assess risks, secure evidence and provide psychosocial support to those affected — especially children. At the same time, a public appeal for information is a tool investigators can use to generate witness leads, but it also increases risks to the privacy of everyone involved.
Police are asking anyone with relevant observations, images or information about the suspect’s whereabouts to come forward. The release of the photograph does not mean that the person pictured has been found guilty in a final court judgment; she is being treated as a suspect. Police give all details about the time and place of the offence and the current search status in their press release of 2 November 2026.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).