Germany: Missing Children Found Safe After 2023 Disappearance

Two children, a 7-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl, who had been missing since 2023, were found safe and unharmed in Leipzig, Germany. Authorities believe their mother, a member of the far-right 'Reich Citizens' movement, had abducted them.

The mother had lost custody of the children by court order in 2023, and custody was assigned to an institution. The Saxony State Criminal Police Office (LKA) reported that the children never appeared at the institution, leading to the filing of an abduction complaint. The LKA's special unit REX took over the investigation.

The children were located with adults in a parked vehicle in Leipzig and handed over to youth welfare services. The investigation is ongoing.

The 'Reich Citizens' movement denies the existence of the Federal Republic of Germany. Approximately 3,100 people in Saxony are considered members of the organization.