Father arrested after kids found seriously injured after wrong-way crash in Moergestel

The father of two children found with stab wounds in their home in Moergestel on Saturday evening has been arrested, police said Monday. The 49-year-old man is suspected of involvement in hurting the children.

The children, a boy and a girl both under ten, were discovered with stab wounds after officers forced entry into the home. They were rushed to a hospital, where police later confirmed they are now out of life-threatening danger.

The discovery followed a serious traffic incident earlier Saturday, when the father caused a head-on collision while driving the wrong way on the A58 highway between Tilburg and Eindhoven. Seven vehicles were involved in the crash. The driver was seriously injured and taken to a hospital.

Police said they went to the father’s Moergestel home to inform his family about the crash. “Officers acted because of suspicious circumstances surrounding the A58 accident,” Omroep Brabant reported.

The children usually live with their mother in Zaltbommel but were visiting their father at the time. At the time of the incident, their mother was in Germany and returned immediately to the Netherlands after learning what had happened.

The boy and girl are in groups 3 and 4. At the children’s primary school, teachers explained the incident to classmates in age-appropriate terms, with support from the municipal health service and Victim Support Netherlands, Omroep Brabant reported. “We immediately addressed their sudden absence and clarified that the children are in the hospital and the police are investigating,” school officials said. Parents received a letter explaining the situation and providing guidance on how to discuss the incident with their children.

Mayor Marnix Bakermans of Zaltbommel said the municipality is supporting the mother and the school. “We heard about this Sunday and immediately consulted with various parties on how to manage it appropriately,” he said. “We support the school and maintain contact with the children’s mother.”