Hundreds of people attended a silent procession in Beerta, Groningen, on Wednesday evening for Jeffrey (10) and Emma (8), who passed away. It was an impressive memorial, filled with emotion. “We keep Jeffrey and Emma in our hearts. Forever.”
Many houses in Beerta have flags at half-mast. On the street, people with somber faces are talking quietly to each other. They are waiting for the hearse carrying the bodies of Jeffrey and Emma. Emergency workers who helped search for the children are also present.
The two children had been missing for days since Saturday, May 17. On Wednesday, May 21, their bodies were found in Winschoten in the water, in the car of their father, who had taken them.
As soon as the silver hearse slowly enters the streets of Beerta, it becomes silent. Only the sound of roses being thrown onto the hearse can be heard. After only a few meters, the car window is too covered, and the white and red roses and stuffed animals have to be placed on the roof of the hearse.
The back of the hearse is made of glass. This makes the two coffins in the car clearly visible. They are surrounded by flowers, stuffed animals, and candles. Behind the hearse is a van with family and relatives of the two children.
“We empathized, searched, and we mourn. Tonight, we show that we want to help carry your grief,” says Cora-Yfke Sikkema, mayor of the municipality of Oldambt, of which Beerta is a part.
On Schoolstraat, the hearse and the procession behind it stop in front of the elementary school. Jeffrey and Emma attended school there for a long time. Their fellow students are waiting with a colorful rose in their hand. Some have tearful faces, others seek comfort and put an arm around the waist of their parents, who are standing next to them. Teachers from the school are also present.
After a short applause, the procession slowly continues. The sound of the church bells, where a memorial service is being held, becomes louder and louder.
Mayor Sikkema gives a short speech, after which the family thanks the hundreds of people present for the support they have experienced in recent weeks. “We miss Jeffrey and Emma very much. Normally, time heals all wounds, but these wounds cannot be healed,” says their half-brother Rubertus.
Before the hearse drives away under applause, Mayor Ben Visser (Eemsdelta) concludes the memorial. “The heart of Beerta was broken to pieces on Saturday, May 17. We are left with a thousand questions. We keep Jeffrey and Emma in our hearts. Forever.”