Suspect in abducted boy's death to be extradited to Belgium

Dave De K. will be extradited to Belgium, the court in Amsterdam ruled on Tuesday. The 34-year-old Belgian man is suspected of involvement in the kidnapping and death of 4-year-old Dean Verberckmoes. He will be extradited within ten working days, NU.nl reports.

Belgium asked that De K. be extradited because Dean was Belgian and abducted from the Belgian town of Sint-Niklaas. The Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) agreed to hand over the investigation.

De K. wanted to be tried in the Netherlands, arguing that a large part of the investigation happened in the Netherlands. Dean's body was found near the Neeltje Jans island in Zeeland on January 17. De K. was arrested in the village of Meerkerk in the province of Utrecht earlier that day. His lawyer also argued that the prison in Dendermonde did not have suitable access to mental health care.

But the court in Amsterdam ruled that Belgium has provided sufficient guarantees for the living conditions of extradited detainees and that their fundamental rights will not be compromised. This includes access to medical and psychological care. De K. will be extradited. He cannot appeal against this ruling.