Brussels police have opened an investigation into the suspected rape of a four-year old pupil of a School (l’école N°1) in Schaerbeek, the Office of the Public Prosecutor (OPP) disclosed on Friday, confirming allegation published on social networks. The OPP gave no further details but the French-language Belgian radio and TV, RTBF provided some information that was later partly confirmed by the Brussels alderman for public education, Michel De Herde.
The mother went to pick up her infant at the school, located on Rue Josaphat, at about 15.15 on Thursday and returned to the school at around 16:00 after noticing blood in her daughter’s underwear, De Herde said. The school’s management immediately alerted its nurse and the municipal authorities. Together, they decided to send the little girl to Paul Brien Hospital for examination.
After a first medical examination, the family was referred to the Saint-Pierre University Hospital, which specialises in such issues. The doctors there then decided to contact the police since abnormal signs had been detected.
The parents filed a complaint and the case was sent overnight to the Schaerbeek police. The Brussels OPP was informed, and a series of investigation orders were issued on Friday morning. The girl was admitted to Saint-Pierre Hospital.
RTBF also reported that the child’s cheeks were swollen and that she was abnormally sleepy. In fact, she had slept the entire day at school whereas she normally never takes a nap there, according to the radio/TV report. De Herde did not confirm this information, adding that it was not yet established that the abuse took place at the school.
The alderman said a written message would be sent out on Friday afternoon to students’ parents and that a meeting could be organised by Monday if the municipal authorities had additional information to share.
An extra school monitor was deployed to the school on Friday morning. Alderman De Herde explained that the commune had asked the school management to open an administrative investigation to retrace the child’s day and provide police investigators with a list of staff present on Thursday.
The Brussels Times
