Three Dead, Including Infant, After Tree Topples During Easter Egg Hunt in Northern Germany

A mother, her infant, and a teenager were killed in Satrupholm, Germany, after high winds blew a 30-meter tree onto an Easter egg hunt group.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 6, 2026, 8:51 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from the Associated Press (AP).

A Fateful Holiday Outing

What was intended to be a festive Easter Sunday morning turned into a scene of devastation in a wooded area southeast of Flensburg. Approximately 50 individuals, including pregnant women, new mothers, and young children from a state-funded welfare facility, had gathered at 11:00 a.m. for an Easter egg hunt. As the group moved through the woods near Satrupholm, a massive 30-meter tree was uprooted by powerful gusts, pinning four people beneath its trunk. Despite the immediate efforts of first responders, the 21-year-old mother and a 16-year-old girl were pronounced dead at the scene.

Medical Emergency and Further Loss

The tragedy deepened as the 21-year-old woman’s 10-month-old daughter, who had been pulled from the wreckage in critical condition, later succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital. An 18-year-old woman was also severely injured in the collapse and remains hospitalized after being airlifted from the site by a rescue helicopter. Images from the scene, published by local media, captured the heartbreaking contrast of the event, showing colorful Easter eggs scattered across the forest floor alongside white sheets covering the victims.

Weather Warnings and Safety Concerns

The region of Schleswig-Holstein had been under a high-wind warning issued by the German Weather Service (DWD) at the time of the incident. It is unclear why the outdoor event proceeded despite the hazardous weather alerts. Police have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the fall to determine if the tree had been previously weakened by disease or if the extreme wind speeds were the sole cause of the structural failure. Grief counselors were immediately dispatched to the residential facility to support the survivors and witnesses, many of whom are vulnerable women and children in the state's care.