Brother turns on brother in appeal on teen girl's murder

In a surprise statement during an appeal hearing on Wednesday, one of the two brothers convicted of killing 14-year-old Lotte in January last year turned on the other and blamed him for the teen girl's death. The new statement surprised the now 17-year-old boy's lawyer and Lotte's family, RTV Oost reports.

Lotte died on 10 January 2021 after meeting with the brothers. She had a relationship with both boys. Last year, the court gave both boys the maximum sentence for juveniles - one year of juvenile detention with institutionalized psychiatric treatment. The younger brother appealed. On Wednesday, the Prosecutor again demanded the maximum sentence against him.

During the initial trial, both brothers mainly remained silent. On Wednesday, after a judge told the younger brother that nothing he said now would affect his brother's sentencing, the boy decided to give his version of events.

According to the boy, his older brother was angry because Lotte had shared a naked photo of him with a friend. Lotte said she had deleted the picture, but the older didn't believe her. They started fighting, and after the older brother pushed the girl, he completely freaked out, the younger brother said. He punched and kicked Lotte several times and then strangled her while sitting on top of her, the younger boy said. He then dragged her body towards the ditch and pushed her into the water, the boy said.

According to the boy's lawyer Rob Oude Breul, the statement corresponds with the forensic evidence. "The fact that my client was there does not mean he was guilty of co-perpetration in a criminal sense. Something for which he has now been convicted. That is why I plead for acquittal," the lawyer said. The court will rule in two weeks.