For 24 years, the parents of Tamás Til from Baja, Hungary, waited for news about their son, who went missing in 2000. Until the summer of 2024, they did not know whether their son was alive or dead, until an anonymous tip to the police pointed them in the direction of finding his body, which had been encased in concrete on a farm in Baja. Following the discovery of the body and investigative actions, the police arrested János F., a 40-year-old entrepreneur from Budapest, who confessed to the murder he had committed at the age of 16.
Tamás Til, then an 11-year-old boy, left on his bicycle on May 28, 2000, to play with other children at a nearby park, where a Children’s Day celebration was being held. He was supposed to return home by 1 p.m. but never did. An intense search for the boy was launched, involving even the FBI, but after questioning more than 500 people, Tamás was not found. Many false leads claimed to have seen Tamás boarding a train, being sold into a pedophile ring, or being hit by a car and buried, further complicating the investigation and devastating his parents. A few months after the disappearance, Tamás’ bicycle was found neatly propped against a fence, but there were no further clues. For 24 years, there was no sign of whether the boy was alive or dead, or where he might be.
After receiving new information via the anonymous tip, the police uncovered the boy’s remains encased in concrete on the farm of József V., who had been one of the original suspects in the investigation. At the time, the farm employed 16-year-old János F., who is now 40. Following the incident, János left Baja and started a new life in Budapest, where he built a family and became a successful entrepreneur. Thus, the mysterious disappearance of young Tamás remained an unresolved case for 24 years.
After the discovery of the body and new material evidence, the investigation revealed that it was a brutal murder committed by János, according to Hungarian police and prosecutors, for reasons that remain unknown.
However, what makes this case both intriguing and deeply concerning is not just the unraveling of a 24-year-old mystery.
At the time of the murder, János F. was a minor, meaning that, under Hungarian law, the statute of limitations for his crime expired in 2015. As a result, he cannot be prosecuted for the crime. Immediately after giving his statement to the police and confessing to the act, which he admitted as a witness, János was released. Under Hungarian law, no legal action can be initiated against him.
Another troubling aspect of this case is the background of János’ upbringing. János was a child in the social welfare system, which underwent drastic changes during those years, often to the detriment of children in care. Many children like János were placed in orphanages where, according to reports from the Hungarian ombudsman, prohibited punitive methods were used at the time, including physical punishment, sedation with drugs like Seduxen (used to suppress aggression), and tying children to their beds. Unqualified staff worked with the children, and abuse in all forms was widespread in these institutions. Experts highlight that prolonged exposure to such an environment of abuse, punishment, and neglect of children’s needs leaves long-lasting and irreversible effects on their psychological and emotional development. This raises the question: did such a system create a child who would kill another child?
Hungary is currently in a state of crisis, as this case dominates public and political discourse, inevitably raising the question of whether accountability for such a grave crime can be avoided in this way. Furthermore, János F.’s legal representative questions the validity of the confession, arguing that it was given without the presence of a lawyer and without fulfilling legal requirements. The confession was made in the capacity of a witness, not a suspect, and there are differences in the forms of testimony given by witnesses and suspects.
Although this case represents a legal “Gordian knot” with no apparent resolution, from the perspective of our organization, it raises a simple question: who is responsible for one child killing another?
The current crisis in Hungary, which has brought this issue to the forefront, is a direct result of the negligence of the Hungarian system, its cost-cutting efforts, and poorly implemented reforms. Political elites are often unable to foresee such situations because, for Hungary, more pressing issues, such as the war in Ukraine or enacting EU-mandated laws to avoid frozen funds, have taken precedence. Addressing this 24-year-old issue, which involves a murdered child and a child murderer, has now become a political issue and a source of political crisis.
This situation serves as a warning for societies like ours, given the similarities in functioning, models of transition, and reforms of social welfare systems. Society’s approach to children, particularly those with behavioral problems, and the existence of adequate protection measures and services, directly affect the number of missing and murdered children, as well as children who become perpetrators of violence.
It is crucial to take this issue seriously and actively address the challenges related to children with behavioral problems. This includes legally recognized but virtually non-existent services in our country, such as day care centers for children with behavioral problems, which represent the most acceptable, least restrictive, and most tailored form of service.