She told the police that she could barely breathe, but that she still tried to call for help and fight back. According to her, the suspect said several times that he would kill her. “The complainant has experienced the worst nightmare,” the prosecutor said.
Two neighbors heard the woman screaming and one of them immediately called 911. She said it sounded like the victim was fighting for her life. After the witness called, she didn’t hear anything for several minutes.
Don’t look away
“She is very grateful to the witnesses,” says Chris Sent, attorney for the victim. “She was lying there at some point. She saw cyclists passing by, who stopped. Then she also screamed. But they kept driving. And it was a few minutes later that these witnesses, these two people who woke up, did have the presence of mind to call 112. And that is also her message above all. Van, people, don’t look away, call 112.”
The case has not previously been in the news, but today the substantive hearing took place in court. Suspect Mohammed H., who lived in Somalia and came to the Netherlands when he was seven, has been in pre-trial detention since his arrest and was brought to the courtroom by the public prosecutor’s office. Except for his date of birth, he said nothing. He only occasionally answered questions by slightly nodding or shaking his head.