Rien van Kemenade (58) dies in October after a fall at his home in Helmond. His sister Elly and brother-in-law Mart find him in a large pool of blood. The police think it is a crime, but after an investigation concludes that this is not the case. But they also discover that Rien called the emergency number 112 no less than five times that night of his fatal fall. In vain, because with his emergency calls nothing is done.
Rien has not had an easy life, says brother-in-law Mart. After he had a brainstem infarction in 2004, his whole life changed. “His character and behavior changed completely and he became seriously depressed. His marriage ended in 2017. He has undergone all possible treatments for depression, but nothing could help him. He took a lot of medication, was shaking continuously and at the end he couldn’t speak properly.”
Rien could live independently and did his own shopping, but he was lonely. His two sisters keep an eye on him, one lives in Nuenen, the other in Asten. When he is comfortable in his own skin, he also comes to his sisters. The sisters have an agreement with Rien that they will call or text him a few times a week anyway.
On October 26 it is not possible to make contact, Elly feels that things are not going well and drives with Mart to Helmond. When Mart and Elly arrive at Rien’s house, there is still a light in the back room.
Upon entering, they see blood on the stairs and in the dining room. “My wife walked up the stairs first, which I still don’t forgive myself. There she found her brother in the bedroom in a bloodbath, the whole floor was red,” says Mart. They call the doctor, who eventually calls the police.
It seems that Rien has fallen, but because the front door is not locked, the police think it is a crime. Elly and Mart have to leave. The police investigate and seal the house. The search continues until midnight.
Rien’s body is taken to the National Forensic Institute (NFI) in Rijsbergen for autopsy. Four days later, his body is released and the funeral can be prepared. The farewell follows.
Three weeks after Rien’s accident, the family has a final meeting with the detectives. Mart and Elly are relieved that there is no crime. But the detective comes with a very annoying message.
The investigation shows that Rien called 112 five times that night. He called four times in thirteen minutes. In vain, because with his cries for help nothing is done. Mart: “Whether they didn’t understand him or didn’t take him seriously, we don’t know. It’s a sad event that we have a hard time accepting.”
Kevin, Rien’s son, is also left behind with great sadness and questions. “It hurts to know that someone you love has suffered. That was not necessary.”
The family received a printout of the conversations from the detectives, which ultimately yielded nothing. Rien kept getting the message: “Attention, you are occupying a telephone line.”
Mart: “This has happened to us now, but I think this happens a lot. That people ask for help and don’t get it. I understand there are jokers who call 911. But if someone calls so often, then you send someone, right?”
He wonders whether the system is watertight and he points to emergency centers in England where people press a certain key combination when they cannot speak. So that the emergency center knows that something bad is going on.
“There was so much blood in that whole room, he lay so helpless. It is sad that afterwards it turns out that he made so many attempts to get help.”