Tragedy in Zagorje: County Declares Day of Mourning
Police and the State Attorney's Office are investigating a horrific case in which a father and two children lost their lives, and free psychological support has been made available to residents.
Police and the State Attorney's Office are investigating a horrific case in which a father and two children lost their lives, and free psychological support has been made available to residents.
The Krapina-Zagorje County is draped in black following a family tragedy that has shaken all of Croatia. Following the deaths of a 46-year-old father and his two children, the county has declared a Day of Mourning, to be held on Thursday, the day of the funeral. Meanwhile, police are still piecing together the events of this horrific incident, and the autopsy that began this morning is expected to provide answers to many questions.
The Mayor of the Municipality of Sveti Križ Začretje, Marko Kos (SDP), has issued a decision to declare a Day of Mourning ahead of the funeral. "Once again, I extend my deepest condolences to the family and all those in mourning. We have received information about the time of the funeral; it will be on Thursday, and ahead of that, I have issued the decision to declare a Day of Mourning," Kos stated.
Aware of the depth of trauma this tragedy has left on the community, the Mayor, in cooperation with the Krapina-Zagorje County and the Health Center, has also ensured professional support. "We have decided to provide psychological assistance for those who feel they need it, so that residents can simply reach out to the professional services within the Health Center if needed. Once again, this is a great tragedy for all of us," Kos added.
Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović confirmed that the autopsy began in the morning hours of August 4, 2026, but cautioned that final findings will take time due to the complexity of the case. "My information is that the autopsy began this morning, and whether it has finished and when... We know that especially when there is a combination with fires, the work of those involved in autopsies is more demanding," Minister Božinović stated.
According to police suspicions so far, the father first took the lives of his children, then set the house on fire, and finally took his own life. All circumstances of this unprecedented tragedy are still being investigated by the police and the State Attorney's Office.
Lorena Zec, an expert from the SOS Rijeka association, analyzed possible motives for such an act, dismissing theories of disappointment. "This act stems from control, or rather, from a loss of control. Unfortunately, in global research and literature, it is known that the worst thing a man can do to a woman is not to kill her, but to kill her children. So I would not say the act stems from his disappointment but from his feeling of losing control that he wants, and must have, over his wife and children," Zec explained.
She also strongly condemned comments on social media that attempt to shift some of the blame onto the mother of the deceased children. "Unfortunately, this is a social environment we have been seeing for a long time. Society very easily slips into blaming the woman; I find it fascinating how people and society in general will much more often and quickly believe his claims rather than thinking about who they truly believe-is our first instinct really to believe what a man who killed his own children said," the expert said.
