The search for missing Jeffrey (10) and Emma (8) continues unabated on Tuesday in several locations in Groningen. The civilian team Veteranen Search Team confirms that the children are also being searched for in Germany.
A search in the Groningse Carel Coenraadpolder yielded nothing on Monday evening. “There are renewed searches at various locations in, among other places, (East) Groningen,” the Groningen police wrote on X.
Searches are also being conducted in Germany, a spokesperson for Veteranen Search Team told NU.nl. She could not share more details about this. However, she said that the veteran team works on behalf of the police and, as a civilian team, can work freely across the border.
The police could not yet confirm the German search operation. A spokesperson did say that they are working closely with German colleagues. On Monday, the police announced that the suspect father may have left for Germany with the children.
The search operations in Groningen are being coordinated from the village hall in Finsterwolde, just a few kilometers from the polder where searches were conducted on Monday.
The search by the professional teams started there this morning around 8:00 AM, said Teun Hakvoort, the chairman of Coördinatie Platform Vermissing. The deployment of the civilian teams will start around 2:30 PM. There is no clear reason for the later start. “This is done in consultation with the police, and the police are in charge in this case,” Hakvoort said.
Great Concerns Due to Letter Left by Suspect
A member of the Veteranen Search Team said in Good morning Netherlands that the team is searching with approximately seventy to eighty people. “We want to work as systematically as possible. You don’t want to skip anything, but it is also impossible to search every square centimeter of Groningen and beyond.”
The police are very concerned after indications that the father, 67-year-old Klaas B., wants to kill himself and the children. That suspicion arose based on a letter that the suspect left behind.
An amber alert was sent out for the missing children on Sunday. Such an alert is only issued if there is a risk of life for the child.
The missing Jeffrey is 1.50 meters tall and was wearing a yellow shirt, black shorts, and gray hiking boots. Emma is 1.30 meters tall. It is unknown exactly what clothes she was wearing, but she had purple sports shoes on. Their father has a light skin color, white hair, and a white beard. He is between 1.70 and 1.75 meters tall and has a stocky build.