The man, who allegedly detained his children on a farm in the Netherlands for years, announced his emigration about ten years ago. Shortly afterwards, however, he and six children were on a farm in Ruinerwold in the eastern province of Drenthe. The man is suspected of deprivation of liberty of today's adult children and should be presented to the magistrate on Monday. (Read a suburb report here.)
The father and the four girls and two boys aged 18 to 25 years had probably lived in a lockable room in the yard since 2010. The family was discovered less than a week ago, after 25-year-old son Jan had asked for help in a pub.
"No further money found"
Gerrit Jan van D. had in 2009 be removed from the Dutch population register, said the prosecutor in Groningen. He said he had emigrated.
The background of the case is unclear. The prosecution does not rule out that the family lived together as in a sect. Also in custody is a 58-year-old Austrian. Josef B. was tenant of the farm. He too is suspected of deprivation of liberty.
Police continued the weekend search of the farm. A money-seeking dog to detect hidden bills was also used, said the spokesman for the prosecutor in Groningen. "But no further money was found." A few days ago, a "substantial amount" had been discovered. The exact amount is unclear. Further results of the investigation were not communicated.
Residents of the 4000-soul village had never noticed anything of the presence of a family. The Dutch authorities did not know the existence of the children, they had never been reported there.
According to the police, the father owns a large forest in the region near the town of Staphorst since the nineties. There he wanted to build a partnership with former drug addicts, residents reported Dutch media.
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