It was on holiday in South Tyrol in July 2016 that Karin suffered a fall after being accidentally rammed by a woman with a stroller. The backwards fall onto concrete resulted in a gashing 4 cm head wound that had to be stitched in hospital. She also lost her memory for the duration of an hour. According to Karin, the doctors did neither detect a brain concussion nor an intracranial injury. Only during rehearsals for the theatre play "Der Dressierte Mann" weeks after her fall did doctors realize her injuries were more serious than previously thought, as she began suffering from headaches and was often tired. Even months after the accident, the after effects were still present and Karin wasn't feeling up to her usual energetic self. Her attitude however remained positive and, despite her doctors advising against it, she continued working as an actress. Between October and November 2016, she appeared on stage every evening performing at the Komödie am Bayerischen Hof in Munich. By that time, she was already experiencing limited motor function in her right leg. Suddenly, in January 2017, she relapsed. Her condition rapidly worsened in March 2017 and she was confined to a care home, where she ultimately died.