The woman who was allegedly abandoned by her boyfriend and left to freeze to death near the top of an Austrian mountain has now been identified. Kerstin Gutner, 33, tragically died on Jan. 19, less than 150 feet from the peak of Grossglockner mountain, according to a report.
Gutner had been guided up the mountain by her boyfriend, Thomas Plamberger, an experienced climber, who then allegedly left her there, according to the Daily Mail. The Salzburg native often called herself a "winter child" and a true "mountain person" on her social media profiles, according to the report. Plamberger, 39, is now facing negligent homicide charges over the nighttime winter climb.
Nothing Less Than a Murder
Gutner, an inexperienced climber, was made to trek through more than 12,000 feet in –4°F weather, as they headed toward Austria's tallest mountain. "At approximately 2:00 a.m., the defendant left his girlfriend unprotected, exhausted, hypothermic, and disoriented about 50 meters below the summit cross of the Grossglockner," according to a statement from the Innsbruck public prosecutor's office.
"The woman froze to death. Since the defendant, unlike his girlfriend, was already very experienced with alpine high-altitude tours and had planned the tour, he was to be considered the responsible guide of the tour," the statement continued.
Prosecutors say the couple became effectively stranded around 8:50 p.m., yet Plamberger didn't call for help or signal for help — even when a police helicopter passed close by at 10:50 p.m., according to local outlet Heute.
Webcam footage later captured their campsite near the summit of Grossglockner, the same spot where Gutner was eventually found dead.
Authorities allege that Plamberger didn't contact Alpine Police until 1:35 a.m., and then switched his phone to silent.
Roughly thirty minutes later, he reportedly abandoned Gutner on the freezing mountainside — failing even to wrap her in the emergency blankets they had with them.
Insensitive Actions
At 2:30 a.m., a trail camera captured Plamberger making his way down the mountain, leaving Gutner stranded near the summit. Prosecutors say he didn't contact emergency services again until around 3:30 a.m., according to Heute.
Plamberger's lawyer, Kurt Jelinek, has insisted that his client is innocent, calling Gutner's death a "tragic, fateful accident," The Daily Mail reported.
Meanwhile, heartfelt tributes have been pouring in for the young, inexperienced hiker on a memorial page dedicated to Gutner.
"Behind the tears of grief lies the smile of remembrance," one person wrote.
"Rest in heavenly peace," another commenter wrote.
Another said, "Deeply saddened to learn of this death, I wish to express my condolences. Impossible to find the right words."
Plamberger was formally charged on Thursday, and his trial is set to begin in February. If found guilty, he could face a prison sentence of up to three years.
