9-year-old girl Etten-Leur died after stabbing, police suspect father

A 9-year-old girl from Etten-Leur who was injured in a stabbing at a house in Etten-Leur on Thursday night has died of her injuries. The police suspect the 41-year-old father. She was lying dead on the street, the girl and her mother turned out to be stabbed in their house on the Leurse Dijk.

“Investigation findings to date indicate that the father presumably injured his child and wife and took his own life. Other scenarios are still being investigated. As far as is known, the family was not known to aid agencies, the judiciary or the police,” reports the police.

The girl and woman were both taken to hospital, where the girl was already in critical condition. The woman, wife and mother, has since been treated for her injuries and is out of danger.

Breda primary school
The girl went to school in a primary school in Breda. “As a municipality, we are in contact with, among other things, the primary school in Breda where the daughter goes to school,” says acting mayor Mark Verheijen of the municipality of Etten-Leur.

He is devastated by the news of her death. “It is an intensely sad message. This makes Thursday night’s event even more tragic. It is indescribable suffering that accompanies it. In the first place for the mother, but certainly also for the other family, friends, classmates, acquaintances and local residents. This evokes a lot of emotions. As a society, we will support the bereaved as much as possible during this difficult time.”

Many local residents were startled awake by the sirens or the noise of the air ambulance that rushed to the scene on Thursday night. Three ambulances came to the Leurse Dijk. “There was, among other things, a special team of the police present,” saw a 112 correspondent.

Help for local residents
The family rented a house from housing corporation Alwel. “What happened is very sad. Our housing consultant and social managers offered support to residents and local residents on Friday. They can contact welfare organization Surplus if they need to talk to someone about the event,” says an Alwel spokesperson.

Police declined to provide any further information out of respect for the family.

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