Teen daughter reportedly in custody after married couple found killed in Groningen home
Police confirmed that two people found dead in a home in the Groningen village of Meerstad are a married couple who were likely killed by foul play. Investigators said a minor-age suspect was taken into custody, which several local media outlets have identified as the couple’s 13-year-old daughter.
The victims were identified as Johan Enting and his wife, Mathilda Diemel, both 53 years of age and residents of the home on Meerhoven where they were found dead, according to Dagblad van het Noorden. The newspaper was the outlet that, using anonymous sources, said the couple’s daughter was the one arrested. Police have not commented on the specific identity of the suspect.
Officers said they were called to the home at 2:45 a.m. and immediately launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The suspect was taken into custody during the same night the bodies were discovered and is being held under restrictions, meaning contact is limited to a lawyer.
The home was cordoned off in the Meerhoven area as forensic investigators examined the property. Police vehicles remained at the scene while officers spoke with residents and collected evidence.
RTV Noord reported significant distress in the neighborhood. A reporter at the scene said, “There are a lot of bicycles and children's toys in the street here. I just saw a neighbor completely in tears, and she flew into another neighbor's arms.”
A resident told RTV Noord, “I heard a huge bang last night, but that could have been the police going into the house.”
The family had lived in the home since 2017 and had recently sold the property. They planned to move within Meerstad to the nearby expansion area of De Driehoek. The four-bedroom corner house was listed for 495,000 euros and sold after being put on the market in February, with the deal completed in March. The house was not connected to the natural gas network.
A dog in the home was first taken in by a neighbor before being collected by an animal ambulance.
