In a shocking development in Belgium, a 16-year-old boy has confessed to the murder of his mother and six-year-old sister in Haasrode, near Leuven. The Leuven public prosecutor’s office confirmed the confession on Saturday evening.
The victims, both Ukrainian nationals, died in a house fire on Friday morning. Their bodies showed multiple stab wounds, and investigators determined that the fire had been deliberately set.
After a five-hour police interrogation, the teenage son admitted to stabbing his mother and sister and then setting the house on fire. He will appear before a juvenile court judge on Sunday. Initially treated as a victim because he was at school during the fire, he is now the main suspect. The investigating judge will continue to oversee the case.
Due to his minor status, the boy is expected to be placed in a secure youth facility.
Family Fled War in Ukraine
The family moved to Belgium three years ago, fleeing Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. After staying in a reception center and then with a host family, they settled in the former parish house in Haasrode two years ago.
The father remains in Ukraine, where he works as a medical evacuation driver near the front line. An adult daughter from the family lives in Ireland.
The fire was reported around 9:30 a.m. Friday when neighbors saw smoke coming from the house on Milsestraat. Firefighters brought the blaze under control within an hour. The 46-year-old mother was found dead at the scene. Her young daughter was resuscitated on site but died shortly afterward. The family dog also perished in the fire.