U.S. court decision in Swiss boy’s case prompts flood of angry reactions

The Swiss foreign ministry was swamped with calls Wednesday from people outraged by a judge's ruling in the United States that an incest case against an 11-year-old Swiss-American boy can proceed, a spokeswoman said.

The Swiss foreign ministry was swamped with calls Wednesday from people outraged by a judge’s ruling in the United States that an incest case against an 11-year-old Swiss-American boy can proceed, a spokeswoman said.

“We’ve never had anything like this before,” said Monika Schmutz, adding that the ministry was “bombarded by fax and e-mail” after news of the ruling reached Switzerland early Wednesday.

“Half of Switzerland is calling us,” she said.

The boy, who has dual Swiss-American citizenship and is known by his first name, Raoul, was arrested August 30 at his family’s home in Evergreen, a suburb of Denver, Colorado, after a neighbour said he had fondled his sister.
Prosecutors have charged the boy with incest, and the judge ruled Tuesday that the case can proceed.

If convicted, Raoul could be forced to spend two years in a juvenile institution or placed under home supervision.

“I find that probable cause does exist to believe that this boy has committed a crime,” said Jefferson Country Magistrate Marilyn Leonard at the juvenile court hearing. He has now been placed into foster care and is to receive therapeutic treatment later on.

Outside the court building, about a dozen Swiss-Americans gathered to protest (picture).

Raoul’s lawyer said he will plead innocent at the boy’s arraignment November 8. The Swiss authorities, relieved that Raoul has been released into foster care, plan to wait for the arraignment before making any further intervention in the case, Schmutz said.

The boy’s mother and stepfather – who have fled to Switzerland with their three daughters – said they were “very disappointed” by the court’s decision but would keep fighting for the freedom of their child.

“But we are glad that he is out of jail and is being treated like a human being,” Raoul’s father said Wednesday.

A neighbour, Laura Mehmert, told social service workers that she saw Raoul touch his sister after he pulled her pants down while they were playing outdoors. When Mehmert approached the children, she said, Raoul said he was helping his sister remove something in her pants.

An affidavit filed in court said the complaint was one of several against the boy in recent months. In June, the girl told a caseworker that her brother pulled down her pants and underwear and kissed her vagina, according to the affidavit.

The girl also told caseworkers that the boy had touched her vagina while she was going to the bathroom.

The mother told Swiss media that the girl had told her the accusations were a lie and her daughter had apologised to her. The mother said the girl apparently wanted to get back at her brother because she was angry at him.

The case has prompted angry headlines in Switzerland, where the mass-circulation newspaper Blick has campaigned for his immediate release and gathered nearly 9,000 petition signatures.

“Ten years ago, a harmless play of `doctor’ was considered quite normal. But today, the prosecutors label it a crime of violence,” Blick said Monday in an editorial – a view widely shared by many Swiss who have grown up with a different legal system.

From staff and wire reports.