This memorial stands in the park only 1500 ft. from our house. I walk Winslow there nearly every day. The inscription says . . . to An and Eefje - never forget.
An and Eefje were from Hasselt. Two of the six, aged 8 to 19, whom the Belgian system failed - miserably.
Belgium has one serial killer. Just the one. This week, he was in the news again - as he often is - being denied parole - as he often is. Yes, he would like to get out with an ankle bracelet. After all, his wife and accomplice is already out - Scott free.
Marc Dutroux must remain in jail, Belgian court rules
Court rejects child killer's appeal for conditional release after his mother, Jeanine Dutroux, 78, warns her son will murder again.
Marc Dutroux, right, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2004
for the kidnap and rape of six girls and the murder of four of them.
Way back in 1986, this low-life and his wife were sentenced to 13 years for the kidnap and rape of 5 young Belgian girls, but unbelievably were released 3 years later on good behavior - leaving prison with a government pension and prescription meds he would later use for other purposes!
His own mother sent a letter to the parole board warning he may be keeping girls captive in his basement. This is one of two letters she sent. Both essentially ignored at a time when perhaps not one person was dead . . . yet.
So, on parole, in the summer of 1995, he and his wife got started again, abducting Julie and Melissa, two 8-year old girls, keeping them in cages in their basement and you don't want to know the rest.
A couple months later he added 2 more to the group. Their names were An and Eefje, but since there was limited room in the basement, he chained them upstairs, did who knows what, and later decided it best to drug and bury them alive.
Finally, he was arrested late that same year . . . for car theft. Spent 3 months in jail and during that time, his wife admitted to letting Julie and Melissa starve to death! Sadly, police searched their house while these 2 little girls were still alive, actually heard children's cries, but thought it was children playing outside.
So after his 3 month stint for car theft, he was back in business taking 12-year old Sabine and 14-year old Laetitia to the basement.
Finally and mercifully, an eye witness to the last kidnapping, identified part of the license plate and he and his wife were eventually arrested. This time the police searched the house. Nothing. Then, and only with the help of the beast himself, they discovered the hidden basement. And the last two girls - both alive.
When I see the numerous articles in the newspaper about his requests for release, I wonder what the system is thinking. I read it costs 50,000 euro for security when he goes to court. Everybody deserves their day in court, but his are up. It's no longer a question of guilt or innocence.
"Marc is not ready to be released because he is still trying to blame others for what he did. I am certain he will start again. He has no sense of reality. He's a repeat offender in his soul, as he has already proven throughout his life. Sooner or later he will be released, but I hope to be no longer in this world when that happens." Jeanine Dutroux, 2013
After serving only 16 years for all that he's done, could this guy actually walk free one day? Should he? His wife did.
.jpg)
