General
Appeal in Vlaardingen Foster Girl Case: Multiple Witnesses to Be Heard Behind Closed Doors
The Court of Appeal in The Hague will hear multiple witnesses behind closed doors for the appeal against foster parents Daisy W. and John van den B., both 39, regarding the severe abuse of their foster daughter. The Public Prosecution Service appealed because the lower court imposed only eight years in prison without compulsory treatment (tbs) for serious assault, whereas prosecutors sought eleven years and tbs. While the prosecution maintains that the foster parents caused the girl's severe brain injury, the trial court cited uncertainty about how the injuries occurred, noting possibilities such as a fall or self-harm. The appeal aims to reassess the risk of recidivism and determine if tbs is necessary, with experts and guardians providing testimony to clarify the events leading to the child's critical condition in May 2024.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's