A court trial has commenced at the Freiburg Regional Court in the German state of Baden-Württemberg regarding a kidnapping and sexual assault that occurred at Europa-Park in Rust. The defendant, 31-year-old Adrian V., faces charges of child abduction and sexual abuse following an incident that took place on Aug. 9, 2025.
Surveillance footage captured the moment the defendant lured a 6-year-old girl away from the “Rulantica” water park, which is a section of Europa-Park. Authorities state that the child was taken to a nearby cornfield where the assault occurred, after which she was abandoned in a thicket.
During the court session, the defendant confessed to the charges. Through his legal counsel, he issued a statement: “I very much regret what happened and would like to apologize to the parents and the girl.” While his defense noted that he was under the influence of cocaine and alcohol at the time, they acknowledged that substance use does not justify his actions, according to German newspaper Bild.
Evidence presented during the trial also revealed that the defendant, who worked as a delivery driver, attempted to convince the child to also consume cocaine; however, the girl refused and discarded the substance.
The victim was eventually located five kilometers away in Kappel-Grafenhausen, approximately two hours after her disappearance. Clad only in her swimwear and suffering from abrasions, she had navigated through forests and fields before being spotted by a truck driver.
“One can imagine that after such a horrific act, a child’s soul is certainly not in a good state,” said Offenburg police spokesman Wolfgang Kramer at the time, who confirmed the girl was not seriously injured externally.
Following the crime, Adrian V. fled to his home village of Lugașu de Jos in Romania. A subsequent European-wide search was conducted, with the suspect apprehended and extradited back to Germany to face charges.
The victim’s legal representative emphasized the ongoing trauma the child continues to endure from being kidnapped and sexually abused.
Due to a pre-trial agreement, the defendant is expected to receive a maximum sentence of four years and nine months in prison. The court is scheduled to deliver its final verdict on March 2.
At the time of the incident, Europa-Park CEO Michael Mack said the park’s owners were “deeply saddened” and had contacted the girl’s family directly. A park spokesperson added that all 700 employees at Rulantica have been briefed on the attack and remain on high alert.
