Mother on Trial After Daughter Dies in Apartment Fire

A trial has begun in Gothenburg for a 42-year-old mother accused of leaving her five-year-old daughter alone in their locked apartment on at least 41 occasions. The tragic events culminated in a fire that claimed the child's life, with the mother now facing charges of unlawful deprivation of liberty, creating a dangerous situation, and gross negligence resulting in death.

According to the prosecution, the mother repeatedly neglected her daughter, leaving her unattended in the apartment on Hisingen. Surveillance cameras installed by the mother captured the young girl's solitary existence. Images show the child navigating the apartment alone, playing, and eventually falling asleep while watching a tablet. The prosecution alleges that on the 42nd occasion, a fire broke out in the child's room. While the mother was present and alerted authorities, the child could not be saved.

The defense argues that the mother could not have started the fire, as she had been away from the apartment for nearly 18 hours. However, investigators discovered numerous instances of the child being left alone. The mother, who was initially arrested on suspicion of arson but later released due to insufficient evidence, claims to have hazy memories of the past year, including the day of the fire.

Social services had been alerted to the child's welfare on multiple occasions. Concerns were raised during a domestic dispute, by a psychologist noting the child appeared to be left unsupervised while the mother slept, and through an anonymous report detailing the alleged pattern of abandonment and confinement. The mother had previously denied these allegations.

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I don't know how to explain it, but it's like you are aware that you are falling asleep. But you don't know exactly when it happened, like.