A Belgian mother from Bruges has been given a reduced sentence after the courts heard how her 3 young children were found living in severe neglect, surrounded by rubbish, vermin and little food.
According to HLN, the woman, referred to as XD, has asked the Court of Appeal to acquit her, but judges upheld her conviction on Thursday.
The case began in early 2023, when a neighbourhood police officer visited XD's home and found it in a state of total neglect.
A second visit, this time accompanied by a bailiff, confirmed the same conditions: cockroaches everywhere and barely any food for the children, who were aged between one and five.
The family was registered with the Youth Care support centre in February 2023, but XD repeatedly refused to give access to staff.
In April, neighbours contacted police to report filthy conditions and constant loud music.
Shortly after, the care coordinator at the children's school also alerted police, supported by the children's step-grandmother, who said the children received little to no food.
When questioned on 14 June 2023, XD told police: "I am going through a difficult time." She said she had sought help from her father, stepmother and a neighbour. But when an inspector attempted to visit her home later that same day, she again refused him entry, asking him to return the following week.
Harrowing evidence
A pattern soon emerged. The house was tidy only when visits were announced in advance.
During unannounced checks, XD consistently blocked access. Photographs in the case file showed vermin, piles of rubbish, an almost empty fridge and injuries to the children.
The juvenile court had already ordered the children's removal from the home.
The consequences for them have been severe; the eldest child is now in care and suffers from explosive anger and childhood depression.
The youngest is in foster care, while the third lives with his father.
Appeal leads to lighter sentence
The criminal court in Bruges first sentenced XD last year in absentia to ten months in prison and a fine of 400 euros.
Damages totalling 88,634 euros were awarded to the children, plus 850 euros to the father of the then four-year-old victim.
XD appealed, forcing a retrial, and even sought a full acquittal.
HLN noted that her lawyer, Louise Buckinx, argued: "My client was going through a difficult time. She asked for help but didn’t get it. She did not consciously want to harm her children."
Civil parties disputed this, and the judge criticised XD's behaviour, noting repeated attempts to keep police from entering the home.
XD attended the appeal hearing and said she had shut herself off during that period. "I would rather have seen no one at the time than anyone," she told the court.
On Thursday, judges again found her guilty on all counts, but reduced her sentence to a ten-month suspended term. The damages were lowered to just over 30,000 euros.
