Mother suspected of involvement in death of 9-year-old son in Hardinxveld-Giessendam

The police arrested a 36-year-old woman on Saturday morning in connection with the death of her 9-year-old son in Hardinxveld-Giessendam. The boy was found dead in a house in the Zuid-Holland municipality.

On Saturday morning, around 8:45 a.m., the police received a report that something was going on in the house on Prinses Marijkestraat. When emergency personnel arrived at the scene, they found the boy's body. Attempts to resuscitate the 9-year-old were of no avail, the police said.

His mother also required medical attention. After she was resuscitated, the 36-year-old was arrested and taken to the police station for questioning. The police are currently investigating the circumstances of the fatal incident.

Neighbors who knew the two are visibly shaken. "It's unreal what happened," recounted a neighbor whose children had been playing with the deceased 9-year-old boy on a casual basis. The father of a family reported that he and his family had not heard or seen anything unusual that day. "I was already at work this morning when my wife called that there were emergency services in the street. Then I went home,” he told AD.

However, he shared that the situation at the two’s home had not been very easy. "The boy was gifted. He was homeschooled because he did not fit in at a regular school. His mother was busy putting him in special education."

Other neighbors were also visibly deeply shocked by the incident. "The resident is a nice, positive woman. I didn't expect this at all. This gives you the shivers," a resident told the newspaper.

Mayor Dirk Heijkoop of Hardinxveld-Giessendam shared his sorrow in a statement. "We deeply sympathize with the family and relatives," he says. “What happened is very intense. We will talk to the people in the area and see what help and aftercare is needed,” the mayor said.