Germany: 8-year-old girl calls police after mother drives drunk
An 8-year-old girl from Germany showed great courage when she called the emergency center late at night to report that her mother was driving under the influence of alcohol and swerving out of the lane. Police officers located the vehicle on the side of the road, found the mother to be completely drunk, and opened criminal proceedings against her.
One of the biggest fears when traveling in a car with children is the unpredictable behavior of the driver, but in this case, the girl herself identified the danger. An 8-year-old girl in Germany called the police late at night between last Friday and Saturday and reported that her mother was driving dangerously, after swerving repeatedly into the opposite lane. The police located the vehicle, stopped the journey, and began criminal proceedings against the mother, in her 40s, after a breathalyzer test measured an alcohol level of 1.91 per mille.
According to the local newspaper Kreiszeitung, the incident occurred in the area of the city of Diepholz in the state of Lower Saxony. Shortly after midnight, the girl called the emergency center using the car's hands-free system and said that her mother was driving erratically. According to her, the vehicle swerved off course and entered the lane intended for traffic in the opposite direction several times. The mother tried to end the call, but the emergency center called back to re-establish contact and assist in locating the vehicle.
Shortly after, the police managed to find the car as it was on the side of a grassy area between Lembruch and Diebersbruch. The mother appeared to be under the significant influence of alcohol even when she got out of the car. The police performed a breathalyzer test, which measured a result of 1.91 per mille. In addition, a blood sample was taken from the driver, and her license was revoked. At the same time, youth welfare services were updated on the details of the case.
According to the German media outlet Deutsche Welle, the police determined that the mother was no longer fit to drive. The girl, who was upset and crying after the incident, was transferred to the care of a suitable family member. Police spokesperson Maximilian Hüge defined the sequence of events as "dramatic" and praised the girl for calling the police. The mother is expected to face criminal proceedings on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
