Abuse allegations filed against staff at Bodegraven care home for disabled adults
Residents of De Akker, a care facility in Bodegraven, may have been subjected to abuse by staff members, according to a criminal complaint filed with the Public Prosecution Service in The Hague by the care organization Sirjon. The facility houses adults with the mental capacity of children between zero and three years old.
Earlier, Sirjon disclosed that six employees had been suspended and subsequently dismissed for recording residents and sharing the footage in a private Snapchat group, Omroep West reported. The organization said those videos showed residents being humiliated by their caregivers. In a written statement, Sirjon confirmed the allegation: “In the interest of a potential criminal investigation, we cannot provide details on the nature or scope of the complaint,” a spokesperson said.
Sirjon stated it opened a dedicated reporting point on May 22 to gather information about the situation at De Akker. “Several responses have come in that we want to investigate further,” the spokesperson said. In recent weeks, the organization also received “worrying signals” about conditions at the facility. While the spokesperson declined to specify what those signals involved, the organization said it is conducting internal reviews to determine whether additional measures are necessary to protect clients and employees.
Board Chairman Jan van Ginkel described the decision to report the suspected abuse as difficult. “It is distressing to have to file such a complaint. Distressing for our clients, distressing for parents and family members, and distressing for all colleagues,” Van Ginkel said.
