Saturday, May 17: Children Go Missing
It is 3:30 PM when 67-year-old Klaas B. picks up his children Jeffrey (10) and Emma (8) with his gray Toyota Avensis in Beerta, Groningen. At that moment, the seriousness of the situation is not yet clear.
Later, the police announce that B. was seen that morning at a German gambling hall in Bunde, just across the border with Groningen. He then drove back to Beerta to pick up his children. Around 3:45 PM, the gray Toyota is last seen on the A7 near Winschoten. After that, there is no trace of the three.
Sunday, May 18: Amber Alert and Searches for Children
It becomes clear that something is seriously wrong. Around 1:00 PM, the police send out an amber alert with a photo and description of the children and call on people to look out for them. The police also announce the type of car and the license plate.
Later in the day, it becomes clear that the police suspect B. of kidnapping. The police also distribute the name and a photo of the suspect. At that moment, officers are still “urgently looking” for the children.
That evening, following some tips, the police conduct a search in the Carel Coenraadpolder, a few kilometers above the East Groningen villages of Finsterwolde and Beerta. The Veteran Search Team also joins in. This is an emergency aid organization consisting of volunteers who previously worked for the police or other helping professions.
Monday, May 19: Police Fear for the Lives of Missing Children
The search in the Carel Coenraadpolder continues. Tire tracks are found that lead in the direction of the water. Sonar boats are used to search the water, but the children are not found. So this search also yields nothing.
In the afternoon, the police share that they have concrete indications that father B. wants to kill himself and his children. A letter written by the suspect has been found.
Nevertheless, hope is not given up, and police, aid organizations, and over a hundred volunteers continue to search for the missing children with all their might. “Despite the desperation and despair, we keep hope,” the family of Jeffrey and Emma say.
That evening, 220 people, mostly local residents, join in the first citizen search. This action is led by the Coordination Platform Missing Persons, a citizen initiative consisting of specialists who can be called in for missing persons cases. The searchers comb through an area of 500 by 500 meters, but again without success.
Tuesday, May 20: Where did B. go with the children?
The police are stumped by the question of where B. went with the children and are in the dark about where to search. Hundreds of officers and volunteers continue to search tirelessly, now also in Germany. “But they can be anywhere, anywhere in the world,” the police tell NU.nl.
In the afternoon, the family of Jeffrey and Emma speaks out again. “We miss them so much,” says the children’s half-brother. “The only thing I can ask: please keep searching, don’t give up.”
In the evening, the television program Investigation Requested (Dutch version of “America’s Most Wanted”) pays attention to the case. A police spokesperson shares a timeline of the events on Saturday and calls on gas station attendants and shopkeepers in the region to view images, hoping to see B.’s gray car there. Acquaintances of B. are also asked to contact the police.
Late in the evening, there is finally a breakthrough in the search: the police find a gray car in the water near the Renselweg in Winschoten. At that moment, it is not yet known whether it is B.’s car. Later it turns out to be indeed the gray Toyota with the sought-after license plate.
1:15
Police Retrieve Car From Water in Winschoten After Finding Bodies
Wednesday, May 21: Bodies of Jeffrey and Emma Found
In the night that follows, it becomes clear that multiple bodies have been found in the vehicle. A spokesperson initially says that “we must take into account the scenario that it may be Jeffrey and Emma.” On the spot where the car was found, the first flowers and stuffed animals are laid down on Wednesday morning, a photographer from press agency ANP sees.
Later in the morning, the organization “On behalf of the Family” confirms what many already feared: the bodies found are indeed those of Jeffrey and Emma. The body of the father was also found in the car.
The family says they are “shocked, angry, and intensely sad.” “No word comes close to what we feel now.” The family asks for peace to process the sad news and thanks all the volunteers who helped search for the children.