Dendermonde (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Belgian authorities confirmed on Friday, January 24, 2025, that a man charged with killing a 28-year-old pregnant woman along with her 5-year-old son will stand trial in an assizes court. The killings of a pregnant woman and a 5-year-old boy at their home have raised alarms in Dendermonde. According to Belgian law enforcement, the suspect now faces trial at the assizes level because of premeditated murder charges in his case.
A man who killed a pregnant woman with her 5-year-old son in Dendermonde will face a court trial. The two murders occurred in a neighbourhood of Dendermonde. Officials arrested the unidentified suspect shortly following the double killing. Investigators assert the offender executed these killings with advance planning, as shown by the evidence.
According to the Belgian legal system, he cannot be prosecuted for the death of his unborn child.
“But this will weigh in the aggravating circumstances,”
Says the lawyer of the relatives.
A forensic investigation showed the pregnant female suffered multiple stab wounds, and investigators discovered that her son, aged 5, suffered fatal asphyxiation. Laboratory findings about the crime indicate that the child did not battle against his attacker because he was already unconscious at the time of the attack. Interrogation interviews show erratic behaviour of the suspect, who remains under psychological exam. The prosecution team develops evidence that will lead to a trial at the assizes court so that Belgian law can be applied to severe crimes.
According to the defendant’s lawyer, a lot preceded the facts.
“A cocktail of events led to him committing these horrific acts,”
Says his lawyer.
“He was brought from Turkey to Belgium and was treated as a worker here. He did not receive warmth, love and respect at home. He planned to end the relationship himself and return to Turkey, but he could not leave his son behind. Anger, frustration, drugs and alcohol brought out the monster in him. He himself does not understand how it could have come to this.”
The relatives are relieved by the referral to the assizes.
“My clients are happy that the case can finally be concluded,”
Says their lawyer.
“But they are not happy with the statements of the other party. They have already started to shift the blame to the family. That was confrontational and hit very hard. They are the victims and are now being insulted. We are not going to let this pass. I strongly oppose this.”
Which cases are handled by the Assizes court?
The assizes court handles Belgium’s worst criminal offences, including premeditated homicides of other individuals. People have drawn connections between this case and Belgium’s Dendermonde nursery incident from 2009. The preplanned crime revealed deficiencies in assessments performed to check the mental state of the defendants.
The newest incident has brought attention to Belgian laws about family and child safeguarding. Local government officials face increasing pressure to distribute swift justice even while they attempt to resolve structural problems that reportedly spurred these horrible offences.
