In a notable turn of events, the Hovratten (Court of Appeal) in Sweden has acquitted two employees previously convicted by the district court for causing the death of five-year-old John Walter who drowned after wandering away from a care home in Hagfors.

The boy, who required additional supervision due to his autism and ADHD, managed to leave the HVB home and was later found dead in a nearby river in June 2021. Despite the district court's ruling that there was a causal link between the employees' actions and the boy's death, the Hovratten concluded that their negligence was not severe enough to warrant a conviction.

This reversal comes after the employees, and their defense, argued that responsibility also lay with the management and the system's inadequacies, such as under-staffing and a lack of proper safety measures at the facility.

The case has brought to light broader issues of accountability and safety in care homes, stirring public debate and emotional responses from the boy's family and the community.