The bodies of a woman and a deceased toddler were discovered by the Leuven police in a building situated on the Oude Markt, one of the busiest squares in the Flemish city.
Locals and tourists enjoying a drink at one of the dozens of bars located on the iconic square witnessed several police vehicles arriving at a building on the corner of the square at around 17:00 on Monday afternoon. They were later followed by ambulances.
The police received a report at about 16:30 on Monday afternoon from a man who said his employer had gone to his house and was threatening to harm his wife and children, explained Julie Plevoets, spokesperson for the Leuven prosecutor’s office. The man calling was not at the house himself.
"Shortly afterwards, the person contacted 112 again to report that his employer had told him that he had killed his wife and child and was threatening to take his own life."
Upon checking out the building, police discovered the lifeless bodies of a 37-year-old woman and the suspect's 5-year-old children. Next to them lay a baby crying, who had life-threatening injuries but is no longer in mortal danger.
'Family drama'
In what seems to be a case of murder and attempted murder, on the scene to carry out analysis was the Federal Judicial Police, a laboratory, a law doctor, and the local criminal investigation department.
Based on initial findings, it is suspected that both the woman and the child were the victims of a family tragedy. An internal autopsy of the bodies will be carried out on Tuesday to determine the cause and time of their deaths.
A large police search took place on Monday evening in Antwerp and in Limburg in the large Bokrijk woods, where the suspect was eventually found. "Investigations by the prosecutor's office of Limburg revealed that the suspect took his own life."
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The restaurant raided by the police had reportedly only opened just before the summer. Before that, the premises housed another Asian restaurant, Gazet van Antwerpen reported. According to the person reporting the crime, the owner of that restaurant quit the business in April but still owns the premises and convinced someone in Antwerp to take it over.
That new owner had closed the restaurant again at the start of this month, with a notice on the door reading "on holiday," which owners of neighbouring establishments had found strange.
Further investigation will be conducted by the Leuven police zone's Criminal Investigation Department under the direction of the investigating judge.
