Dutch police searching for kidnapped Belgian child, 4, and male suspect
Update: The name of the suspect was redacted upon his arrest.
Police in the Netherlands are looking for a 34-year-old man wanted by authorities in Belgium in connection with the disappearance of a 4-year-old boy. The two disappeared last Wednesday in the Belgian town of Sint-Niklaas, which borders the Dutch province of Zeeland. They may be staying in the south of the Netherlands. A police investigative team is coordinating the search with representatives of the Public Prosecution Service in Breda.
Belgian police issued the alert for Dave De K., and Dean Verberckmoes, who could be traveling in De K.’s grey Peugeot 206. Dutch authorities said they are very concerned about the health of both the child and the adult.
"We are terrified," his mother, Elke Verberckmoes told Nieuwsblad. "I hope he brings my son back home. Or that he leaves him with people somewhere safe so that Dean is at least safe. If he wants to move on after that, I don't care. I hope my son is safely home soon. That is all I dare to hope for."
The young boy went through a minor medical procedure on Tuesday. His mother's own medical condition made it impossible for her to watch him on Wednesday, so she asked her friend and De K. to watch the child for one night. “He had already stayed there before. He knew them well, and he loved being there,” Verberckmoes said. “He was happy to go there.”
De K.’s girlfriend was supposed to take the child to his grandmother's home on Thursday, but instead insisted on letting the child stay with them for another night before dropping off the boy. “When I arrived at my mother's on Friday evening, it turned out that Dean was still not there. I was beside myself.”
Verberckmoes found out later that De K. and his girlfriend had an argument Friday night, and she threw him out of the house. He then absconded with Dean Verberckmoes. She had contact with the man that night, and the following afternoon, before reporting the incident to the police. "He claimed that he was in Hasselt, but that he had a flat tire and that a tow truck was on the way. That all turned out to be a lie," Verberckmoes said. A police bulletin was released on Sunday.
Anyone who who may have seen De K. or Verberckmoes should call 112 immediately, and not intervene themselves, police said. Authorities in both Belgium and the Netherlands called on the 34-year-old man to urgently contact police. They also asked for all witnesses to come forward.
De K. was described at being 1.80 meters tall, and with an average build. He has green eyes, short dark blond hair, and a beard. No description of his clothing was provided.
Verberckmoes stands at 1.02 meters, and is of average build for a 4-year-old child. He has brown eyes and brown hair, and was last seen wearing a dark blue jacket with red stripes.
The suspect's car was described as a grey Peugeot 206 with a Belgian license plate. Belgian media quoted police as saying that the suspect may have changed the license plate on the car.
Reporting by ANP and NL Times.