The seriously injured woman had been found around 4:50 a.m. on Sunday in the area of the NATO ramp on the banks of the Rhine between Niederkassel-Ort and Rheidt. The 29-year-old was taken to a hospital for in-patient treatment. According to police spokesperson Frank Piontek, the woman was seriously injured, but not life-threateningly.

In the course of the investigations on Sunday the suspicion against the 24-year old friend had condensed, informs the police. When he was confronted with the accusation during the interrogation, he admitted that he had beaten his girlfriend in a quarrel and injured her badly. As the police announced on Monday afternoon, he was permitted to leave the police headquarters after the interrogation.

According to police, the 24-year-old had himself informed the rescue centre on Sunday morning that he had found his girlfriend in the same condition.

Since it was unclear at first where the injuries came from, the Bonn Homicide Commission, which had been called in by the local police, began the investigation. In Niederkassel on Sunday morning, the police had cordoned off the suspected crime scene and searched for traces. Investigations against the 24-year-old man on suspicion of grievious bodily harm are continuing.

(Original text: Bettina Köhl and Jonathan Kemper / Translation: Mareike Graepel)