German in custody after days of raping a woman

A man reportedly held and raped at least one young woman for several days with the help of her brother in Walldürn, Baden-Württemberg (Neckar-Odenwald district). The 37-year-old is suspected of detaining the 26-year-old against her will between October 15 and 19 and of raping her, the Mosbach district attorney said on Thursday. The victim eventually managed to alert an acquaintance, who called the police.

According to the investigation, the woman’s fate could not be an isolated case: “Meanwhile, other victims have been identified,” said a spokesman for the Public Ministry. “In line with the current status of the investigation, the police and prosecutors are assuming that there are other potential victims.” The search for the alleged crime scene and investigations also confirmed this suspicion.

The 37-year-old is accused of taking hostages in combination with particularly serious rape and dangerous bodily harm. He was taken to a psychiatric hospital with an arrest warrant, the prosecutor’s spokesman said. The man’s 23-year-old brother reportedly provided help. He was arrested on suspicion of complicity and complicity.