Translated with AI
In Austria, police arrested a 39-year-old man on suspicion of mixing rat poison into jars of HiPP baby food, Reuters reports.
According to Kronen Zeitung, investigators believe the suspect acted alone. His identity has not been released.
Investigators determined that the man purchased baby food from supermarkets, added poison to it, and returned the jars to the shelves. He was identified thanks to CCTV footage. The case is currently being investigated under charges of intentionally creating a public danger and attempted grievous bodily harm. If the examination confirms that the dose of the substance could have been lethal to children, the charge may be upgraded to attempted murder.
The suspect's motives have not yet been established. It is known that shortly before the incident, he sent the company a letter demanding payment of two million euros within six days. According to Die Presse, HiPP only noticed this message two weeks after the deadline had expired. The company later confirmed the attempted blackmail, without disclosing any details.
According to investigators, six poisoned cans were in circulation. They were discovered and seized in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria. One of the cans was never found; it is believed to be in the east of the country. Company CEO Stefan Hipp previously stated that finding it remains a priority.
