Over €109,000 raised for funeral of Jeffrey and Emma
A fundraiser for the funeral of 10-year-old Jeffrey and 8-year-old Emma, who were found dead along with their father—who had abducted them—in a canal in Winschoten, has now collected more than 109,000 euros of a targeted 180,000 euros. The crowdfunding campaign, launched with the family’s permission, aims to give the children a dignified farewell and will close on May 22 at noon.
“Like everyone has heard, Jeffrey and Emma tragically lost their lives,” the fundraiser page states. “With the family’s consent, we want to help give these two sweet children a proper farewell. All donations will go toward the funeral of Jeffrey and Emma. Thank you in advance for your support, also on behalf of the family.”
Police in Groningen confirmed officers visited the children’s father at his home in Beerta on Friday evening—just one day before the abduction—after receiving a report from the children’s mother, according to earlier reporting by De Telegraaf. The visit was prompted by disturbing text messages the 67-year-old man had allegedly sent her. At the time, Jeffrey and Emma were in their father’s custody.
Police official Frank Smilda acknowledged during a press conference in Winschoten that officers decided not to intervene that evening. “It is still too early to say whether a different decision should have been made based on the information available at that moment,” he said.
The following day, Saturday afternoon, the children went missing after being taken by their father in a car. Authorities later reported indications the man intended to kill both himself and the children.
After an extensive search, police discovered the bodies of Jeffrey, Emma, and their father inside a vehicle submerged in the Rensel canal in Winschoten.
The father, who lived in Beerta, had taken the children without their mother’s permission. The public prosecutor stated the children were under the legal custody of their mother. The father’s actions led to charges of unlawful removal of minors from legal custody, followed by a formal suspicion of kidnapping.
An Amber Alert was issued the day after the disappearance, including a photo of the suspect. Initial search efforts focused on the areas surrounding Beerta and Finsterwolde, where the father lived and where the children had also resided until a few months ago. Since late last year, they had been living with their mother in Delfzijl, in the municipality of Eemsdelta.
During the press conference, the mayors of Eemsdelta and Oldambt expressed their condolences and called for reflection.
“We cannot imagine what the family is going through right now,” said Eemsdelta Mayor Ben Visser. “They were finally settling into their own place again and were working on rebuilding their new life in Delfzijl.”
Visser said it was too early to discuss whether the father had been known to the municipality or health services. “We must look in the mirror: did we do everything we could?” he said.
Oldambt Mayor Cora-Yfke Sikkema described the outcome as “the darkest scenario come true.” She added, “A tremendous number of people from the region and across the Netherlands had hoped for a different outcome.”
People in the community are grieving and in shock, with some expressing anger, according to Sikkema. “This is a tragedy that hits our community deeply,” she said. The municipality is offering continued support to students, parents, teachers, and everyone affected.
