Incomprehension prevails among relatives of alleged victims of nurse Theodoor V. after the judgment of the court in Assen today. Three of them were present at the hearing and clearly expressed their complete disagreement with the judge’s verdict.
To the great frustration of the next of kin, GGZ Drenthe does not want the suspect’s medical file to be used during the criminal investigation.
The judge who pronounced the verdict was almost immediately flooded with emotions. In tears, one of the surviving relatives called it a shame that the file does not have to be shared with the Public Prosecution Service (OM). That file contains reports of the conversations V. had with mental health care employees.
After the case, two of the three relatives left the court emotionally. In their search for clarity, they clung to the release of the file. In conversations with employees of the GGZ, Theodoor V. is said to have confessed to having been involved in the death of twenty patients of the covid department of the Wilhelmina Hospital Assen (WZA).
One of those deceased patients is Ciska Rosema’s mother. This next of kin came to the hearing today. “Her death was quite sudden, because she was actually just a lot better. The period after that has already been so emotional. To hear that your loved one has been taken from you in this way is something you don’t wish anyone,” she says, referring to the possible role of suspect V.
Rosema is grateful to the GGZ for bringing the matter to light. It was the mental health service that informed the WZA of conversations V. had about killing patients. The hospital then called in the Justice Department.
But the role of the GGZ seems to have played out, now that the service refuses to disclose further medical data. The GGZ believes that medical confidentiality has already been violated enough and that further medical information about V. is not necessary for the investigation by the Public Prosecution Service. The judge agreed with that reasoning.
Relatives are left stunned. They want clarity about how their father, mother or life partner died and they are deeply disappointed in the mental health care’s attitude. Rosema: “At the last minute they are actually withdrawing everything. I find that very offensive for the relatives.”
GGZ Drenthe does not want to comment on the case and refers to the court’s ruling.