Limburg couple faces 18 years jail for sexual abuse during babysitting of seven children

The Public Prosecution Service has recommended prison sentences of 18 years and compulsory psychiatric treatment at a TBS facility for Peter S.,62, and Nancy D.,57, on appeal for the sexual abuse of seven children they were babysitting in the Eindhoven area.

In March 2023, both defendants were sentenced to 12 years in prison, with only the man receiving additional compulsory psychiatric treatment. Prosecutors had originally recommended 15-year sentences for both suspects and, like the defense, have appealed the ruling.

The Limburg suspects have admitted the accusations. The woman from Herkenbosch is said to have abused the girls at multiple babysitting locations between 2019 and 2021, in nearly 30 incidents, stating that every babysitting session involved abuse.

Prosecutors described the case as an exceptionally disturbing sexual abuse case that escalated over time. The man from Heel allegedly watched via video calls, directing her actions, and received recorded footage when he could not watch live. These videos form part of the charges of child sexual abuse material.

The seven victims, from six different families, ranged in age from 1 to 6. According to the prosecutor at the Court of Appeal in Den Bosch, their very young age allowed the suspects to carry on their abuse undetected for an extended period.

The abuse stopped in 2021 after the parents of an almost three-year-old girl went to the police. They had installed a camera in her bedroom due to sleep issues, leading to the discovery.

“The man saw images he would never have wanted to see,” the prosecutor said. The footage recorded by D. was described as deeply disturbing, with the prosecutor recalling her “cold expression” and the chilling way she spoke to the children. She showed no awareness of the harm she was causing and acted in a coercive, even threatening manner, appearing to take enjoyment in her actions, according to the prosecution.

Experts at the Pieter Baan Center recommended compulsory psychiatric treatment only for S., citing multiple serious disorders. They did not advise psychiatric treatment for the woman due to a lack of evidence for a risk of reoffending.

Prosecutors, however, contest that conclusion, describing the case as “unique” and arguing that without being caught on video, she and S. might have continued committing similar crimes.