Police reopen assault investigation after footballer's ex found dead
German police have reopened an investigation into assault allegations against football star Jerome Boateng following the tragic death of his ex-girlfriend.
Boateng's ex Kasia Lenhardt was found dead in her home in Berlin earlier this month at the age of 25.
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Police said there was no foul play involved.
On Thursday, prosecutors said they had reopened their investigation against Boateng, a defender for Bayern Munich, after receiving new information from police investigating Lenhardt's death.
Last year Munich prosecutors shelved their investigation into an alleged 2019 assault by Boateng on his former girlfriend, after Lenhardt decided “not to provide any more incriminating statements.”
They also wanted to wait for the outcome of the football star's trial in a separate assault case.
Boateng's attorney has rejected the allegations in both cases.
Lenhardt, a model who had appeared on Germany's Next Top Model, was found dead in a Berlin apartment on February 9.
Just a week earlier, Boateng announced he had split with Lenhardt after 15 months together.
According to local media in Germany, Lenhardt had shared images of an ear injury on social media in the days before her death, before quickly deleting them.
Boateng returned to Germany from Bayern’s participation at the Club World Cup in Qatar for personal reasons the day after Lenhardt's death.
“We were all really taken with it,” Bayern coach Hansi Flick said.
“Jerome was in my room and asked me to go home. From the club side, we also fulfilled his wish."
Jerome Boateng investigation ongoing
Munich prosecutors told The Associated Press in an email that they reopened their investigation on February 10, after “we received new information from the course of investigation into the death” of Lenhardt.
They would not comment further on the new information, saying the investigation is ongoing.
Meantime, the Munich district court trial of Boateng on allegations of assault against former partner Sherin Senler, the mother of their two children, has not been able to start due to coronavirus restrictions.
Boateng’s legal representative filed a complaint against Munich prosecutors in June 2020 alleging an innocent person was being prosecuted, but the complaint was rejected by the state prosecutor’s office on August 18, 2020.
It was not clear when the trial would be able to begin.
Boateng, 32, has represented Germany at national level 76 times, winning the FIFA World Cup in 2014.
He also represented his country at the 2010 and 2018 World Cups, as well as playing at Euro 2012 and Euro 2016.
with Associated Press
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