A court in Mechelen has sentenced a man to six years in prison for extreme neglect that led to the death of his partner.
On 19 January 2025, the man contacted emergency services, reporting that his girlfriend’s condition had “suddenly deteriorated.”
Upon arrival at their home in Willebroek, paramedics discovered the woman in a dire state.
According to the prosecutor, she was emaciated, had wounds so deep her bones were visible, and was covered in faeces and stuck to a soiled nappy weighing around two kilograms.
The house was described as chaotic, and the smell was overwhelming. She was rushed to hospital but passed away a few hours later. An autopsy revealed her weight had dropped to just 24.1 kg for her height of 1.65 meters.
Initially, the man was interviewed as a witness. He claimed he hadn’t realised her condition was so severe and that she didn’t want him to seek help.
He characterised their relationship as loving but admitted she had a medication addiction and had become bedridden since 2022.
He also confessed he had not washed her in six months, asserting she took care of it herself, and had neglected to change her nappy for two weeks due to his own illness.
However, investigators found messages from the woman to her partner asking for help, including requests to be hospitalised. She detailed her pain and declining health in handwritten notes, and sent pictures of her inflamed sores to him.
In one instance, she asked for Fortimel—a nutritional supplement—to which he replied, “No, that’ll make you fat.” Evidence suggested he was often unresponsive to her pleas.
The prosecutor concluded her death was caused by generalised physical deterioration and untreated sepsis. The man’s neglect extended to issues as serious as maggots being found in her nappies back in 2022.
“His behaviour is beyond reprehensible,” argued the prosecutor. “It’s a basic human duty to help someone suffering so gravely.” The prosecutor demanded a ten-year prison sentence along with revocation of his civil rights.
The man also faced charges of computer fraud for transferring €8,995 from her account to his after her hospitalisation and death.
His defence sought a lesser charge of guilty neglect, arguing that he had unintentionally failed as a caregiver.
“This was not a case of intentionally withholding food or care. His capacity as a caretaker was overwhelmed,” his lawyer explained, adding that the man had come to her aid at times even though replies to her messages were absent. The court rejected the request, affirming a six-year sentence.
A doctor from Meise who had prescribed strong painkillers and morphine to the woman without ever meeting her was also prosecuted.
The court heard that the physician’s conduct was unprofessional and dangerous, with the prosecutor highlighting that immediate medical intervention could have made a crucial difference. A sentence of one year with suspension was recommended.
The physician’s lawyer argued there was no wrongdoing, pointing out that the doctor’s intent was not to sustain or worsen an addiction. She noted he remained practising without any disciplinary inquiries against him. The court instead sentenced him to six months with suspension.
