Man suspected of stabbing wife and stepson in Oțelu Roșu; stepson dies

The attack

Police in Caraș-Severin county received a call to the 112 emergency line at 4:38 on Monday morning, 9 November, from a 48-year-old woman in Oțelu Roșu. She told officers that her husband, a 40-year-old man, had attacked her and her 21-year-old stepson with a knife during a spontaneous conflict inside their home. Officers who reached the house found the stepson gravely injured, and he later died of his wounds. The suspect's brother, who lived in the same house and was questioned by police, told investigators that the attack happened while the two were asleep and that they woke up as they were stabbed and tried to defend themselves. The timeline below sets out the moments reported so far.

Injuries and hospital care

Ambulance crews gave the 48-year-old woman first aid and took her to hospital, where she was placed in intensive care in serious but stable condition. Her stepson had been adopted by her seven years earlier; he was the son of her sister. Medical staff at the hospital could no longer help him, and he died of his injuries. Cătălin Grecea, chief physician of the surgery department at Caransebeș hospital, described the treatment she received after her arrival:

“From the CT scanner she was taken straight into the operating room. These are stab wounds, multiple wounds to the chest area.”

Suspect in custody

Police detained the 40-year-old man on Monday after he was found inside the house. Local media reports say he also injured himself superficially with the same knife. He was taken to hospital, received medical treatment, and was then placed in police custody. Police said that, so far, no other reports had been filed concerning the people involved. The investigation is being carried out by a prosecutor from the prosecutor's office attached to the Caraș-Severin Tribunal. According to local reports, prosecutors will request preventive arrest for the stepfather on charges of murder and attempted murder.

Open questions

Investigators are working to establish exactly how the tragedy unfolded and what triggered the conflict. Authorities have not yet said what started the argument between the couple. Prosecutors will decide the legal classification of the acts and the measures to be applied.