Boy suspected in Dutch teen's murder removed from home by youth care: lawyer
The 16-year-old boy in custody in connection with the murder of 14-year-old Savannah Dekker, was ordered removed from his home by the children's court, AD reports. He was set to be removed on June 7th, but this never happened as he was arrested on June 4th, according to the newspaper.
His lawyer is worried that this will make people think that something is wrong with the boy. "But it's different", she said to the newspaper. According to her, the children's court decided to remove the boy from his Den Bosch home - where he lived with his mother and little brother - based on advice from the Child Protection Council.
The boy was to be put under supervision for three months. The Council requests this measure if the interests of a child is in serious danger, according to AD. In most cases the child can live at home when this happens. But in this case the Council found the situation so worrying that they asked for the boy to be removed from home. His brother was allowed to stay.
According to the lawyer, the boy hasn't spoken to the children's court. "He will probably be heard next week", she said. He was scheduled to appear in the children's court on June 7th, but missed the appointment due to his arrest.
The boy was also sentenced to a conditionally suspended prison sentence of 50 hours and 2 years probation on June 1st, the day Savannah Dekker disappeared. According to the lawyer, the boy was sentenced for truancy - he was absent from school between September 23rd and November 3rd last year. "My client wanted and still wants to further develop his creative talents. He wanted to start his own business and thought he did not need school for that. But he now wants to go back to school." the lawyer said.
Savannah Dekker disappeared after leaving her Bunschoten home on Thursday, June 1st. Her body was found in a watery ditch on industrial terrain De Kronkels in her home town on Sunday, June 4th. She had been killed in a crime.
