Catrin first confides in Pastor Sonnleitner (Johannes Herrschmann) that she is worried that the three children will live alone on the farm. He tells Katja (Simone Thomalla) about it, who sets off immediately. Arriving at the neglected farm, she meets the teenager, who introduces herself as Marlie. Katja confronts the 16-year-old with Catrin’s suspicions. But Marlie reacts very angrily and constantly avoids him. Katja therefore decides to wait in the yard with Marlie and her siblings until their grandmother calls. She’s supposed to be in Munich, but she won’t answer her cell phone.
But Katja doesn’t believe the three of them and gives them an ultimatum: the children should get in touch with their grandmother – or the village helper will inform the youth welfare office. After endless back and forth, Marlie finally gives in and tells Katja the sad truth. A year and a half ago, while hiking with her and her siblings, her grandmother fell off a steep rock face and died. Since the three didn’t want to go to the home and be separated as a result, they left their grandmother behind and didn’t tell anyone about it.
Katja is stunned – especially when Marlie tells her that she and her siblings have considered throwing themselves off the rock face so that they can be with their grandmother again. Shocked Katja says: “It’s a nightmare what happened to you. You urgently need help. I’m so sorry, really.” Later, a woman from the youth welfare office comes by and promises that together they will find a solution that everyone is happy with. And Katja also assures Marlie: “I promise you, we will find a great family for you, I won’t let you down.”
“Spring”: New episode from January 22, 2023 on Sundays at 8:15 p.m. on ZDF. In the ZDF Mediathek the films are ready a week before they are broadcast on TV.
