6 months Ago
Alarming Messages Before Vanishing
Klaas Bijl, the man who may taken two of the children he fathered with Li Huan Qing has given a friend a tip off by saying to join him on "the road to paradise" right before they all went missing, De Telegraaf reports. Bijl's friend Mirka, who saw the children last on Saturday, said Bijl appeared to be angry and in a hurry to leave with Jeffrey and Emma.
Earlier in the day, Bijl left the children playing on a tablet in his home in Beerta, while going to Germany to refuel his car. When he returned at around 3:30 p.m., he said they were going to McDonald's, but then said they were "going to paradise," the children told the police. Mirka remembered that Jeffrey inquired if she could come also, but Bijl wouldn't have it. "I just snatched up Jeffrey's shoes as fast as I could — he wasn't even wearing them," she said. She has not heard from him since. "His phone goes straight to voice mail," she said.
Father Left Troubling Note
The police issued an Amber Alert on Sunday and launched an urgent search. Their worries increased when they discovered a letter by Bijl giving an indication he planned to hurt both the children and his own body. The children are believed to be in immediate risk, authorities said.
"He also felt bad as he had to hand them back to their mother earlier Sunday," Mirka said. "He didn't take it very well," she said. "I still have hope that they have just gone away somewhere and are safe."
Enormous Search Under Way
About 220 volunteers participated in the search among and around the municipality called Oldambt in Groningen on Monday. The search was planned by Coördinatie Platform Vermissing (CPV) and also had police backing. Volunteers searched a 500 by 500-meter section on foot, by bike and by car. The search was suspended after dark, and no sign of the children was discovered.
In the Carel Coenraadpolder, tire tracks were also found leading into the water by the police. Boats equipped with sonar scanned the area, but no evidence was found. "It is a very sad reason for coming together, but it brings people together," a local resident told RTL Nieuws.
Authorities confirmed Monday that Bijl's letter made them concerned for the safety of the children's lives. They are keeping all leads active at this time.
If you or someone you know is at risk of self-harm or suicide, seek help as soon as possible by contacting emergency services, reminding them of the special circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. nl.
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