Two years after death of baby in daycare center ‘t Sloeberhuisje, public prosecutor wants father of manager to be tried for manslaughter | Ghent
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The public prosecutor wants to prosecute Roxan V., the father of the manager of daycare center ‘t Sloeberhuisje in Ghent, for manslaughter of a six-month-old baby. The man shook the girl so hard in February 2022 that she subsequently died in hospital from brain trauma. And according to investigators, he did so with the intention to kill. But according to Kris Vincke, V.’s lawyer, that was not the case: “It is clear to us that the man never intended to kill the baby.”
Billie, the six-month-old girl, died on Friday, February 18, 2022 from injuries she sustained in daycare. The Ghent University Hospital informed the public prosecutor’s office on Thursday morning, February 17, that a baby had suffered a serious brain trauma under unclear circumstances. The girl had been taken to the hospital emergency department a day earlier, after a call from the daycare center in Mariakerke.
LOOK. The girl had been taken to the hospital emergency department a day earlier after a call from the daycare center in Mariakerke
Want to set an example?
After two years of investigation, the public prosecutor’s office, which does not wish to communicate further about the contents, has prepared a final claim. According to judicial sources, the public prosecutor’s office wants to prosecute Roxan V. for manslaughter and bring him to the court of assizes. That would mean that the man who worked as a childcare worker had the intention to kill the baby. According to his lawyer Kris Vincke, that was not the case and the public prosecutor’s office seems to mainly want to “set an example to society”.
If the council chamber effectively refers us to assizes, there are two options. Let it pass and tell our story to the people’s jury, or appeal
Kris Vincke
“We contest the decision of the public prosecutor’s office. It is clear to us that the man never intended to kill the baby,” says Master Vincke. “We are therefore surprised by this decision.”
To be clear: it is not the public prosecutor’s office, but the council chamber that ultimately decides who should stand trial before which court. The investigative court will consider the matter on May 17. But the public prosecutor’s office would therefore aim for an assize process for Roxan V. And even if the council chamber were to follow the public prosecutor’s office, an appeal is still possible.
“We are still considering what our approach will be,” Vincke concludes. “If the council chamber effectively refers us to assizes, there are two options. Let it pass and tell our story to the people’s jury, or appeal against the decision of the council chamber. But we haven’t figured that out yet.”
For his daughter, Davina V., the public prosecutor’s office is requesting a different correctional process for unintentional manslaughter. According to judicial sources, the public prosecutor’s office blames her for not taking sufficient responsibility for her daycare and the children. Furthermore, the public prosecutor’s office also wants to prosecute the Child Care Agency for negligence, because it did not take measures quickly enough after earlier disturbing signals.
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