Candlelit vigil held for Solingen victims

Mourners have gathered in the western German city of Solingen to grieve the five children found dead in their home on Thursday. 

Residents responded to a call from the local council and came together to form a chain of lights and hold a minute's silence in honor of the children, aged 18 months to 8 years, who were allegedly killed by their mother. 

Read more: In Solingen, neighbors struggle to understand

The 27-year-old woman is currently in hospital after jumping in front of a train at Düsseldorf station "with suicidal intent," according to the head of the homicidal panel investigating the case, Marcel Maierhofer. 

Donations and disbelief 

Kira Yopoulis, a local from Hallesdelle, the area of Solingen where the children lived, expressed her disbelief.

"You think that something like this won't happen in your neighborhood," she told public broadcaster WDR on Saturday. "The biggest question for me is why would somebody not get help?" the 19-year old added. 

Hans-Peter Harbecke, the chairman of the local residents' association, said the group had provided free candles so that as many people as people could take part in the ceremony.

"As a community, it [grieving] is more intense," he told WDR. "That way you become aware that you have to stand together."

People have reached out over social media with offers of donations since the tragedy became public. The city council has announced a plan to open an account for donations on Monday in order to help the family cover the costs of the funerals for the children, according to a spokesperson for the city.

Read more: Solingen tragedy puts spotlight on welfare for teenage moms in Germany

Family need time to grieve 

It remains unclear what will happen with the woman's one remaining child, an 11-year old boy who was present at the mother's suicide attempt. He is currently living with his grandmother in Mönchengladbach. 

Police have said the mother allegedly sedated and suffocated her children. Investigators believe the single mother of six had been experiencing emotional distress following a separation with her husband. 

The children's grandmother had alerted the police after receiving WhatsApp messages from her daughter saying that she was "in bad shape" and "could not go on." 

Police have issued an arrest warrant for the mother, who is the only person under investigation. 

The victim protection officer for the state of North-Rhine Westphalia, Elisabeth Auchter-Mainz, said she was under the impression that the boy and the grandmother were both being cared for by family. 

"In this kind of situation people need time — and this time must be given to the boy and the grandmother," she told news agency dpa. 

If you are suffering from serious emotional strain or suicidal thoughts, do not hesitate to seek professional help. You can find information on where to find such help, no matter where you live in the world, at this website: https://www.befrienders.org/ 

With material from dpa.