7-month-old baby hospitalized with serious injuries; father arrested

A seven-month-old baby was admitted to hospital with serious injuries on Wednesday in Harderwijk. The father of the child was arrested on Sunday. The apartment of the family has been searched by police.

“The condition of the child led police and Public Prosecutors (OM) to begin a criminal investigation”, a police spokesperson said to De Stentor about the state in which the baby was brought to hospital.

The father of the child has been suspected of causing the wounds.

Neighbors of the family said they saw an investigation team arrive Sunday morning. The surrounding residents said they did not have close contact with the family. Police said the investigation could take several days to complete.

Police did not release further information on the case. “Anything we say at this point could hinder the case at a later point in the investigation or during legal proceedings”, the spokesperson said.