FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – The FBI says a German teen has been arrested on suspicion of murder in the death of a 14-year-old girl in the U.S. Prosecutors in Germany said the 18-year-old is suspected of manipulating an Indiana teen on social media into harming herself and taking her own life.
The FBI said Friday it worked with local Indiana authorities to investigate the teen’s death and shared evidence with German authorities. Prosecutors in Hamburg said the suspect was arrested on Thursday. The Fort Wayne Police Department said the girl was from northeast Indiana.
The FWPD released the following:
In October 2026, the Fort Wayne Police Department responded to a death investigation involving a 14-year-old juvenile from Fort Wayne. After a thorough criminal investigation, the Homicide Unit identified a suspect who contributed to the juvenile’s death. Investigators identified him as an adult male residing in Germany and collaborated with federal partners at the Federal Bureau of Investigation and authorities in Germany.
As a result of this collaborative effort, German authorities in Hamburg arrested an adult male for a criminal offense related to the juvenile’s death. The Fort Wayne Police Department thanks the FBI and German authorities for their assistance in this investigation.
The Fort Wayne Police Department wants to remind parents, guardians, educators, and young people about violent online networks that arget nd exploit children and other vulnerable individuals. Report suspected criminal activity to law enforcement.
