Prosecutor charges man in Mäntsälä child death case
A 53-year-old man has been charged with aggravated causing of death and aggravated causing of injury following a tragic accident in Mäntsälä last October, in which a six-year-old boy died and a five-year-old was seriously injured. The case will be heard in the Itä-Uusimaa District Court in mid-September.
The incident occurred on 6 October 2024, when two young boys—one the son of the accused and the other a neighbour—were playing in a yard near a hall building. Heavy construction panels, stored on a transport cart, fell onto the children. The six-year-old died at the scene, while the five-year-old required extensive hospital treatment (Iltalehti).
Police initially suspected the parents of negligence, investigating whether the heavy mineral wool boards—some weighing up to 50 kilograms—should have been stored more securely. They also examined whether the children should have been supervised more closely. The preliminary investigation concluded in June (Iltalehti).
Regional Prosecutor Sini Pöyry filed the charges on 19 August, stating that the accused has denied wrongdoing, claiming the incident was an accident rather than a result of negligence. Pöyry also confirmed that one decision to dismiss charges had been made but did not provide further details, citing confidentiality (Iltalehti).
The accident took place in a quiet residential area with detached houses and hall buildings. Witnesses described the day as initially peaceful before turning into one of profound sorrow. Candles were later placed outside the hall where the tragedy occurred (Ilta-Sanomat).
Ilta-Sanomat reports that the accused man has since moved away from the area. The trial is scheduled to begin next month.
