The case had caused a nationwide stir: After luring and sexually abusing a girl from the Rulantica water park in southern Baden, a man was sentenced by the district court in Freiburg to four years and nine months in prison. According to his own statements, he lured the then six-year-old child out of the Europa-Park pool in Rust in the summer of 2025 and abused her.

The 31-year-old is said to have approached the girl in the bathroom and offered her help. According to the court, he then led the child out of the bathroom and into a nearby cornfield to abuse her. When she repeatedly fought back, the man threw the child into a bush on a road and left her alone.

It was only hours later that the girl was discovered several kilometers from the pool – injured, scared and only wearing a bikini and flip-flops. The defendant was accused, among other things, of sexual abuse of children.

What the defendant admits

At the start of the trial, the Romanian admitted the allegations in the regional court. “I really regret that this happened. I can’t explain how it could have happened,” he said through his lawyer. After the abuse, the man went into hiding and was arrested a week later in his Eastern European homeland. Officials identified him as the operator of Rulantica based on witnesses and video recordings provided by Europa-Park.

What the parents criticized

During the course of the trial he had The girl’s father repeatedly criticized the park harshly. After the disappearance of their young daughter that August evening, the parents turned to the pool staff several times and unsuccessfully asked for help, the father testified in the trial. When asked to call the police, he was told: “You can do it yourself.” According to the parents, security and the cash desk at the exit were also not alerted.

What Europa-Park has changed

When asked, Europa-Park has so far stated that it does not comment on ongoing legal proceedings. After the crime, security precautions were tightened. Among other things, parents are now more aware and can also get a bracelet with their phone number for their children.

According to Europa-Park, controls at entry and exit have also been expanded. A wristband should enable entry and exit into Rulantica; the locker can be used with it and paid for without cash. “As an option, several bracelets can now be linked in a family group, so that minors can only be let out if an adult from the same booking has previously passed through the turnstile,” said a spokesman.

The verdict was expected

The public prosecutor’s office, defense and chamber had already agreed on a sentencing range of up to four years and nine months. The verdict is not yet final.