Krisenintervention team deployed after alleged killing in Kumberg

ORF reports that Kumberg near Graz is in shock after an eight-year-old girl was allegedly killed by her father on Monday. The crisis intervention team of the state of Styria, known as KIT, has since been supporting affected residents.

Neighbours, friends and family members are receiving care from crisis intervention teams, KIT representative Cornelia Forstner said. Several psychosocial emergency counsellors are assisting people directly and indirectly affected by the incident and are also available to the wider population for conversations.

The KIT will remain in Kumberg over the coming days. For many people, the incident is an extreme stress situation, and reactions vary widely. Forstner said it was particularly difficult to put such events into words and cope with them when children were involved.

She advised people to address what happened honestly when speaking with children and to answer their questions in an age-appropriate way. It was also acceptable to tell children that not every question could be answered, she said, and people should avoid speculation.