2023-11-24 15:23:00
The Assize Court of Walloon Brabant began on Thursday the trial of Kevin Deffense, a resident of Genappe born in 1991, who is being prosecuted for torture, inhuman treatment and intentional injury to a five-year-old girl. As throughout the investigation, the accused denied the facts during questioning in court. While experts believe that the little victim was voluntarily kept in a bathtub of very hot water in July 2021, the Genappian affirms that it is an accident, and that his niece undoubtedly did it herself. running hot water while she was in the bathroom unattended.
The accused is the victim’s godfather, and she was entrusted to him for a few days in July 2021. He brought her to the emergency room of Nivelles hospital on the evening of July 19, and the little one was quickly transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit of Jolimont hospital, where she was placed in an artificial coma. She remained hospitalized for three months with severe burns throughout the lower part of her body. Doctors noted the “donut” lesions on the buttocks, typical of maintaining force in hot water. The accused explained when he arrived at the hospital that the child had diarrhea, that he gave him a bath in lukewarm water then gave him some ointment which he had not noticed. that it was expired.
During the hearing, President Marie-France Keutgen pointed out to the accused that all the doctors who examined the victim considered that his explanations were improbable. And that it is also not possible, in the state the little girl was in, that she went out to go for a walk and play on the playground a few hours before being taken to the emergency room. Kevin Deffense swore he did not hold the child in the bathtub, and insisted that she did not complain of any pain following getting out of the bathtub.
When speaking regarding his life, the accused recalled an unhappy childhood, studies which he had to give up because of the financial situation of his parents. He explained that he loved taking care of children, and that he had just started studying to become a primary school teacher when he was arrested and imprisoned. “I would like to say that I am sad regarding this accident, it traumatized me. I am happy that she escaped,” he further clarified at the end of the interrogation.
On Friday, the Assize Court will hear investigators and several experts.
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