The grieving parents of André, a 9-year-old boy killed in the Magdeburg Christmas market terrorist attack last month, have published a video on social media, giving a detailed account of their ordeal.

Désirée Gleissner and Patrick Sommer lost their 9-year-old son in a terrorist attack, when a migrant with Muslim roots plowed his vehicle into in the Magdeburg Christmas market on 20 December, 2024,

“The state and Magdeburg are currently letting us down and making our lives really difficult,”

– Patrick Sommer said, while standing in front of a photo of his murdered stepson.

@mamivonfuenf♬ Originalton – DesiPlus5->1986🥰💖

The couple shared their ordeal of not being allowed to see little André’s body for 11 days, despite repeated pleas and legal threats. André’s mother, Désirée, fought back tears as she detailed the torment of being unable to say a final goodbye to her child.

“Only by threatening to call a lawyer can things finally move forward. Nobody knows whether we are even allowed to see our son. I don’t understand why a mother should be allowed to suffer so much,”

– she complained. The couple also expressed dismay over the lack of psychological support and official outreach, stating that all assistance they’ve received so far has been through private channels. “We haven’t gotten any help from anyone up there,” Patrick said, referring to government authorities. “The government hasn’t contacted us yet,” Désirée confirmed. Beyond their personal grief, the couple directed attention to systemic failures, accusing the government of negligence in preventing the attack.

The suspected perpetrator, an individual known to authorities for his ties to terrorism, was allegedly left unchecked. “The blame lies with the one person who killed our child. And with the government because they didn’t act,” said Désirée. Their frustration also extended to the local police, who were reportedly present but unable to prevent the tragedy.

While Désirée refrained from blaming individual officers, she questioned the broader systemic issues that allowed the attack to occur. The couple announced their intention to amplify their message through social media. “We may be small people, but we are not small, we are Germany,” they declared, urging viewers to share their video to hold authorities accountable. The video has sparked widespread outrage and debate online, with many expressing solidarity with the grieving family and calling for greater accountability in the handling of terrorist threats and victim support.