Tragedy in Belgium
24 Jan
Yesterday Belgium were shocked to hear that 2 children and 1 adult were killed by a man who went into amok in a kindergarten and injured furthermore 10 children an 2 adults. The killings happened in Dendermonde, 30 kilometers north of Brussels. The doctors are still fighting to save the injured both children and adults. There were 18 children in total present during the rampage luckily most of the children are out. They said that the man painted his face black and white inspired by the joker in the Batman movie. He just announced that he wanted to ask something and upon entering he just went to the small children area with under 3 years old children and started stabbing. It’s horrible just to imagine babies who can not even talk, or stand up experience that. Some of the pictures shown on the TV the police have to write a number on the children’s forehead for identification purposes because they don’t even know how to contact the parents.
According to what I hear in the news that the children are Vuggestue children which means they are younger than 3 years old.Having a 3 year old and my nephew still go tot he Vuggestue (A day care institution for small children form 6 months to 3 years old) my hearts bleeds and I offer sympathy and condolence to the Belgian parents. I don’t know how to cope up with that situation.
Click to see and hear the original news in English here
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/batman-killer-stabs-children-in-belgium-1514532.html
http://www.truveo.com/As-many-as-3-dead-in-Belgium-daycare-centre/id/2305843011866251858
It seems that the man was insane and had been to the psychiatric hospital and he is fascinated with the batman movie which I just watch the other day and I commented to my husband this joker is ruthless and evil with no empathy to anyone than the one played by Jack Nicholson. His room full of Heath Ledger paraphernalia and yesterday where the killings occurred is his death anniversary. The police are looking for the motives of the killing and the connection of the joker. I just hope that he just chose batman instead of the joker. Which remind us to be vigilant on what kind of movies our children are seeing and what they surfing on the net and always be really to guide and give explanations.
I Denmark we also leaves our children in the institution there is a Day Care for 3 years old and below and the kindergarten for 6-3 years old. Now everybody is questioning the safety and security if the institutions which sometimes are tainted with pedophile and violence within the personnels once in while but note it is not rampant here. But nonetheless some became so paranoid that we can not take pictures of the children while in the institution because we signs a agreement if we allow them to post our children in their homepage or not so to it is not allowed to take a picture of your own children together with others. It’s sad but that’s life nowadays I call it the disadvantage of the digital world.
Please say a prayer for the dead victims and fast recovery of the injured ones that hope that they will forget the dark chapter of their lives and especially to the parents I once again sympathize with them. Pray also that these violent episodes may not happens in the future.
This is a horrific incident, Ana. I’ve read about this in the newspaper this morning. This kind of a man has no heart for children, probably a man who doesn’t have a good memory of his childhood. I’m always touched by this kind of news. It’s not only happening in Belgium, but everywhere.
This is really terrible and you know that he confessed that he did it and perhaps he planned it all along because he came with 2 knives and an ax. What is worse he’s only 20 years old. It’s everywhere remember what happened in Finland last year. It just those were only babies and only 1 is out of danger still the 12 injured are still fighting to survive I hope that they will survive.
Hi Ana,
How do we really know what deranged effects can one movie have on an individual?
How do we prevent such things from happening? Why did it have to happen? And to small, innocent children?
These and a host of other questions, we may never be able to know the answers
All I can do right now is to say a little prayer for the victims and hope that something like this never happen again, ever.
We can really know whatever we do to protect our children in the safety of our own home there’s so many factors outside that molds them into what they becomes in the future. All I know is that base on my parents teachings and in the school and the church that there are only 2 things we have to remember Love of God and love of neighbor. But you’re right that in this time we can only hope and pray.
Thanks for the visit.
Hi Ana,
I hope my first comment about this post got registered.
Thanks!
OMG! That is one sicko! Thanks for dropping by my blog
and Kung Hei Fat Choi! Will add you to my blog roll soon just gonna eat some tickoy!
Happy new Year too!!! I miss tikoy. Your welcome for sure I will visit your blog as often as I can it’s so interesting and I like your sense of humor.
This is indeed a horrible incident. This must teach us how to be on guard at all times. Schools must be very particular with security measures and must employ security guards who will enforce search measures before allowing any person to enter school premises.
Here in our place, because kidnapping is also rampant nowadays, private schools are issuing ID both for the child and the parents. Guardians are also registered upon enrollment. Guards wont allow the child to go out of the school premises without the official guardians or parents and they wont allow anybody to enter school premises without identification card. They also have metal detectors which they use for body search.
These measures are often tackled during PTA meeting and parents are sharing ideas on how to protect their kids. The last time hub attended a meeting, he even suggested a security cameras that is directly monitored by security guard from time to time.
Gadgets like this is affordable nowadays and can be bought online especially in Chinese and Korean websites.
Let’s pray for these innocent lives who never had the chance to grow…
btw, I am passing you a Butterfly award. It;s in the last part of my recent post, just scroll below to see it
Regards,
Juliet
Hi Juliet,
I know that I also live in MM for almost 16 years and I know how terrifying it was at that time.You need to have a yaya, a driver and the rich deliver their kids via helicopter wow.
My boss who is a half Chinese told me one time That he’d rather migrate somewhere where he can take his kids in the park without worrying that somebody will kidnap his children but he can’t since he already has many employees and a bit complicated. He advised me to follow my parents but I’m proud. I love the my country I still can live a decent life but here I am living abroad..
I’m happy that I can take my son anywhere without worrying but wherever we are we have to keep guard and I can say that even if we provide our children with cellphones, computers, xboxes, SP2/3 etc. it still our responsibility as parents to invest time to spent with them as we can guide and prepare them to navigate the difficult world outside the safety of our homes.
Thank you for your visit.
What a heartbreaking story. I have a friend in Belgium and she has a 5 year old who goes to school already so my heart skipped a beat when I read the title of your post. I can only imagine how the parents of those affected felt….
Thanks for the visit Ana….
Juliana
This is appalling! And it breaks my heart so much to read about this news.
These kids are so young—as young as my son and—I'm at a loss for words. I'm praying for the victims. This is totally unacceptable! 