New images have surfaced showing degrading treatment of elderly individuals in nursing homes in Flanders, Belgium.
The images reportedly involve the general hospital in Oudenaarde, where one of the suspects did an internship, according to the hospital’s director, Hans Crampe.
Crampe confirmed receiving contact from the police regarding the investigation, initially reported by Het Laatste Nieuws.
The recordings are believed to be from 2024, but the number of victims is unknown.
A court hearing is scheduled for next week. The affected patients and their families have been informed by the police, said the hospital, which will join as a civil party and cooperate fully with authorities.
The case began on 7 March when the Vlaamse Ardennen police station received a complaint about a jewellery theft at the Meerspoort Nursing Home in Oudenaarde. The phone of the suspect, an 18-year-old student employee, contained videos of elderly people being mistreated and humiliated.
Following this discovery, three more individuals were arrested: the suspect’s 20-year-old brother, also an employee at the same nursing home, a 19-year-old man, and a 21-year-old woman.
The four accused reportedly shared the videos among themselves. They are currently detained on charges of theft, degrading treatment, and voyeurism.
The investigation revealed other facilities involved in similar abuse of vulnerable individuals. These include De Branding centre in Kortrijk, Mariahuis nursing home in Gavere, De Samaritaan nursing home in Maarkedal, and now AZ Oudenaarde.
