Foster father John van den B. believes a "one-sided picture" has emerged of the atrocities that took place in his Vlaardingen home. He and his wife Daisy W. are suspected of abusing four foster children. Their 10-year-old foster daughter was so severely injured that she will never be the same again. "Due to her brain injury, she functions at the level of a toddler," according to the Public Prosecution Service.
The suspects appeared in court in person for the first time on Friday. The two sit close together in the dock, staring straight ahead as the Public Prosecution Service (OM) shares the status of the investigation for the final time. Van den B. sits with her arms crossed, W. with her hands in her lap. Both are dressed entirely in black.
This isn't the first time the two have seen each other since their arrest last May. They were observed together for several weeks at the Pieter Baan Center to observe their interaction. Experts believe both have diminished responsibility. This means they should receive TBS (Tenure Order) in addition to a prison sentence.
'Need to experience power through aggression'
The foster mother reportedly suffered from a disorder characterized by "narcissistic, histrionic, and borderline traits," characterized by distrust, egocentrism, and a lack of empathy. W. allegedly failed to acknowledge her mental illness and avoided care. Treatment was said to be long and difficult. The risk of renewed violence against vulnerable children was said to be high.
Van den B. is said to have a mental and aggression disorder. "According to the experts, he cannot adapt to his environment due to poor coping skills," the Public Prosecution Service stated. There is no evidence of sadism, but "he does have the need to be the strongest and experience power through exerting aggression."
Last May, the foster girl was seriously injured and unconscious at the hospital, with old and new injuries raising suspicion. According to her foster parents, she had fallen down the stairs, but doctors immediately recognized something more serious.
The girl had scars all over her body and was severely malnourished. She weighed only 20 kilograms (44 pounds) and was 134 centimeters (43 inches) tall, more than 10 kilograms (22 pounds) lighter than normal for a girl her age. She was unkempt: her hair was wiry and dull, covered in lice.
The girl's prospects were initially very bleak, but she appears to be making remarkable progress during her rehabilitation. She can now go to a care farm a few days a week and speaks a few words, the Public Prosecution Service reports. She can walk, though it's stiff and she regularly wanders aimlessly. However, due to her brain injury, she functions at the level of a toddler.
Foster father John van den B. previously confessed to the police that the girl was tied up. He claimed she posed a danger to his family. He offered practical suggestions, he said during questioning. His wife, Daisy W., however, did not remain silent, according to his statement.
"I regret what happened," he said during Friday's hearing. "For the girl, for my wife, for the children, for their loved ones." The Vlaardingen resident has already written several letters to the judge. "So you know my story. I think it's a shame that a one-sided picture has emerged in the police investigation and other matters." His wife doesn't want to comment "at this time."
Part of the evidence includes chats between the two about what they were doing to the foster girl. For example, the foster parents wrote that she was "chained up." Photos of unimaginable situations were also shared. There are photos of the girl, severely emaciated, lying on a mattress, chained. There was also a homemade cage in her room, with the girl inside and an electric cord running to the outlet.
The parents were arrested in May on suspicion of attempted manslaughter. The girl was allegedly pushed down the stairs. After further investigation, the Public Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute the two. The girl's brain injury may have been partially caused earlier or by a fall down the stairs. There is, however, evidence of the severe abuse.
According to the Public Prosecution Service, further investigation reveals that the foster girl's sister and two Syrian brothers who were in the foster family before them were also abused. It is particularly painful that the guardian and the foster care agency knew these two boys had been removed from the foster family. Yet, the foster girl and her sister were given shelter there.
The foster girl also raised the alarm herself, but she was ignored. When she stopped going to school, she disappeared from view for months. In a scathing report, the inspectorate criticized the social workers who abandoned the teenager. The Public Prosecution Service has decided not to prosecute any social workers.
