A six-month-old girl who was seriously injured on Wednesday while she was in a nursery in Mariakerke, a municipality in Ghent, died of her injuries, the East Flanders prosecutor’s office said on Friday.
On Thursday morning, the UZ Gent hospital had informed the local public prosecutor’s office that a baby had suffered a severe brain injury in unclear circumstances. The emergency medical service had brought the girl to the emergency department the day before, after a call from the Mariakerke crèche. The child was in acute mortal danger and eventually succumbed to his injuries, the prosecution said on Friday. The East Flanders prosecutor’s office had appointed a forensic doctor on Thursday and the investigating judge had the crèche sealed off. An in-depth investigation took place and three of its leaders were arrested. They are the manager, her father and an employee. They spent the night in detention and will appear during the day on Friday before the investigating judge, who will decide whether or not to place them under arrest warrant.