Balcony case in Penzing: Could partner prevent the tragedy?

Balcony case in Penzing: Could partner prevent the tragedy?

On Tuesday, June 5, 2025, there was a tragic incident in a municipal apartment in Penzing, Vienna. A 37-year-old woman fell out of the sixth floor and died of the consequences of the fall. Passers -by found the motionless woman in the courtyard and immediately alerted the rescue, but the emergency doctor could no longer do anything for her. This incident made headlines not only because of its tragedy, but also because of the questions that arose that the police and the Vienna public prosecutor's office together.

First, the woman's partner, a 48-year-old man, was in the focus of the investigation. In a dispute between the couple who is said to have taken place before the fall, there were initial indications of a possible violent offense. The police initially arrested the man to clarify all possibilities. After the interrogation of witnesses and the partner himself, the investigators were able to give the all -clear. They found that the man was by no means responsible for the death of his partner.

Investigations and results

According to the latest knowledge of the police, the woman climbed over the balcony railing independently. Despite the attempts of her partner to hold her, he was unable to prevent the tragedy. The statements of witnesses support this presentation and refute the initial suspicions against the partner. The Vienna public prosecutor's office then ordered the man to show the man at large. The preliminary autopsy findings showed that the woman died of multiple injuries from the fall. However, a toxicological report is still pending to clarify further details about the action.

The State Criminal Police Office Vienna, Western Office West, leads the further investigations to clarify all backgrounds of the incident. One of the explanations that emerges indicates possible suicidal intentions. The fact that the woman was in an emotional exceptional situation is a serious increasing aspect that is repeatedly discussed in the discussion about suicide prevention in Austria.

suicide and suicide prevention in Austria

The problem of suicides is still urgent in Austria. According to the report of the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Nursing and Consumer Protection, a total of 1,212 people died from suicide in 2023. The suicide rate is 14 per 100,000 inhabitants: inside and is three times as high as the number of traffic dead. It is particularly striking that men are disproportionately often affected by suicidal thoughts: around 80 % of suicide deaths are men.

Especially in the age group of 45- to 64-year-olds, the highest proportion of suicides are observed. It is therefore important to be sensitized in tragic incidents such as this and to clarify support options. The incident in Penzing should make it clear to all of us how quickly it can be that people get into crisis situations and how crucial is good communication in couple relationships.

The tragic fall in Penzing is another sad proof that many people are in quiet fights. We should not only support those affected, but also their relatives and give them a voice.

Further information on the backgrounds can be found in the reports of meinzirk.at and Sn.at . For deeper statistics on suicides in Austria, the report of the bmsgpk an.