Groningen town under emergency order after child abuse arrests

The northern town of Stadskanaal is under an emergency ordinance through the weekend after a group of people rioted following the arrest of two women for child abuse. 

The city’s mayor Klaas Sloots announced the measure Thursday evening after a large crowd smashed windows in the neighborhood where two children were allegedly severely abused. 

Earlier in the day, police took a 31-year old and a 33-year old woman into custody on suspicion of serious child abuse. 

The women were arrested earlier than planned, due to the “social unrest” and “security concerns” the prosecution service said, after local newspaper Dagblad van het Noorden reported one of the two children was in a coma as a result of the abuse. 

According to a court decision removing one of the children, a six-year old girl was confined for extended periods of time in a basement, denied food, forced to eat her own vomit and had her head shaved as punishment. 

The neglect was so severe that the girl was placed in an artificial coma in February.

The abuse was allegedly largely directed by a friend of the girl’s mother. The friendship was, according to the court decision, “intensely close.” The friend controlled her email account, bank account and had even installed a tracking app on her mobile phone. 

The friend had a 7-year old son who was also subjected to abuse, including being confined and beaten. 

The emergency order will remain in effect until Sunday.