Kids find body on school camp

A group of 29 pupils from Vlijmen primary school De Vlechter had an intense time during a school camp in Son en Breugel this week. While playing a forest game on Monday, the pupils of groups 6, 7 and 8 found the body of someone who had taken their own life. A very intense experience, school director Dominique Habraken said to Eindhovens Dagblad.

The group of pupils left from Vlijmen on Monday for four days of camp in Son and Breugel. The incident happened during the early evening. "Two children suddenly saw the lifeless body up close. The supervisors immediately collected all the children, called 112 and went back to the group accommodation", Habraken said to the newspaper.

The school director immediately got into her car and headed for the camp. There she found very emotional children, being taken care of by camp staff, De Vlecther counselors, as well as aid agencies like the police and Victim Support. After discussing what happened, the kids were loaded into taxis and taken back home, to be in familiar surroundings.

On Tuesday morning the kids, staff and counselors met with GGD staff, Victim Support, social workers, the municipality and the police at the school. "We discussed what had happened and how we would proceed. After consultation with Victim Support and of course the parents, we went back to Son en Breugel, where we have adjusted our program." It was decided that the kids would go to camp as planned, though spend their nights at home.

With the aid workers, the pupils were taken to the place in the forest where the body was found. "Of course there were emotions again, but we also wanted to show the children that this is a safe place again. That way we also want to give them a positive experience of the camp."