Foster parents to stand trial in October for abusing Vlaardingen girl, 3 other kids
The foster parents accused of severely abusing their foster daughter in Vlaardingen will appear in court in Rotterdam on October 3 for the first time in their criminal case. Their attorneys announced the date on Monday during the fifth preparatory hearing, de Volkskrant reported.
The court had ordered both foster parents to attend this session, but they did not comply. However, they will be present at the final preparatory hearing, scheduled one month before the substantive proceedings on November 6 and 7.
The abuse of the now 11-year-old girl came to light on May 21 last year, when the 37-year-old foster father took her to a hospital in critical condition. She was unconscious, weighed less than 20 kilograms, and suffered multiple bone fractures. Police arrested the foster father and his partner shortly afterward.
Although the girl is no longer in life-threatening danger, she is expected to require intensive care for the rest of her life. According to investigators, the foster parents allegedly tied her up by her arms and legs and locked her in a cage rigged with electrical wires.
The couple, both 38 years old, are also suspected of severely abusing three other foster children in their care: the younger sister of the 11-year-old victim and two boys who had lived with them the year before.
A report published in January by the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate and the Justice and Security Inspectorate revealed that foster care organization Enver and youth protection agency William Schrikker committed numerous serious errors. The agencies, responsible for safeguarding the children’s welfare, failed to protect the girl. Investigators found that she repeatedly reported she was being abused, but officials dismissed her claims as invented stories.
Questions remain about what drove the foster parents to commit the alleged acts. Earlier this year, both were observed for several weeks at the Pieter Baan Center, a forensic psychiatric clinic. The resulting assessment report is expected by the end of this month.
According to their attorneys, the foster parents were overwhelmed by the girl’s "behavioral problems." The foster father stated that he restrained her because he believed she was a danger to his family. The official inspection report notes she would harm herself, such as by banging her head against the floor.
To support their defense, the lawyers allegedly requested that all correspondence between the foster parents and the responsible agencies be added to the case file. They argue this material will show how often the couple asked for help and did not receive it.
The inspection report reportedly confirms that the girl did not receive appropriate care in the foster home. Because of this, the court ruled the requested additional documents were unnecessary, stating, “given everything already contained in the testimonies and the collected evidence.” The foster father had photos of the girl inside the cage on his phone, and the couple exchanged messages about the abuse.
Last month, the biological mother of the girl filed a civil lawsuit against William Schrikker and Enver. Her attorney is holding them liable for negligence, arguing the severe abuse could have been prevented if, for example, the two sisters had been placed with an aunt instead.
