Elke Verberckmoes (44), mother of four-year-old Dean, who was killed in January 2022 and abandoned on the island of Neeltje Jans in Zeeland, has broken her silence after more than four years. Shortly after a memorial was unveiled in her son’s memory, she said she has been living “on autopilot” for years and is preparing for an extremely painful trial. Dave De Kock (38), who has admitted killing the child, and his former girlfriend, Romy W., are due to stand trial on charges related to the kidnapping and death of Dean. The trial begins on October 8, 2026, before the Ghent Assize Court.

(Staff: Belgium / Justice & Society)

The death of little Dean Verberckmoes, a four-year-old boy from Beveren, shocked Belgium in January 2022. After four and a half years of silence, his mother, Elke Verberckmoes (44), has given her first interview about the pain of losing her child and the nightmare of the approaching trial.

A memorial so Dean “will never be forgotten”

On September 12, 2026, a memorial was unveiled on Neeltje Jans in Zeeland, at the place where Dean’s body was found on January 17, 2022, after being left among the rocks by Dave De Kock, the child’s so-called godfather. The memorial consists of a large stone surrounded by stuffed animals and a plaque reading: “Dean, you were found here by the water in January 2022. We will never forget you.” Around thirty motorcyclists, friends and supporters of Elke, took part in a commemorative ride in the boy’s honour.

“My life has been on pause for more than four years”

In an interview with Het Nieuwsblad, Elke said the pain has not diminished with time. “Honestly? My life has been on pause for more than four years. I live almost completely on autopilot. For four years I have been trying to stay as strong as possible. But it has also been four years of standing still, and that feels terrible.”

She explained that every development in the case brings everything back. “Then everything comes back to life and I have to start all over again. The trial starts in a few weeks and, believe me, it is already causing me enormous stress. Just thinking about looking the perpetrators in the eye again. I already know I will have to endure a lot.”

The guilt that never goes away

Elke also spoke about a feeling of guilt that has haunted her for years. “Why did all this have to happen? Why was my child lying there? Why Dean? It should not have been him. I should have been lying there. I have thought that for years. My son did not deserve this.”

What happened in January 2022?

Dean had been left in the care of Dave De Kock and his girlfriend, Romy W., while his mother was receiving treatment in a psychiatric centre. De Kock was a family friend. When the boy was not brought home, the alarm was raised and a major search operation began. On January 17, 2022, Dave De Kock was arrested in Meerkerk in the Netherlands, but Dean was not with him. That same evening, police received a report that a child’s body had been found on Neeltje Jans. It was Dean.

The investigation established that De Kock drove through Sint Jansteen and the Westerschelde Tunnel towards Walcheren during the night of January 14–15, and abandoned the child’s body among the rocks on the afternoon of January 15. De Kock later admitted killing Dean in the car, saying that he had “exploded” and that “everything went black before his eyes”. He had previously been sentenced to ten years in prison for seriously abusing his two-year-old stepson, who later died from his injuries. Dean’s mother did not know about that part of his past.

Trial begins on October 8 at the Ghent Assize Court

Dave De Kock and his former girlfriend, Romy W., will stand trial before the Ghent Assize Court. De Kock faces charges of murder and kidnapping resulting in death, while Romy W. faces a charge of kidnapping resulting in death. The jury is due to be constituted on October 5, with the trial beginning on October 8, 2026.

Romy W., who maintains her innocence, has been released under electronic monitoring. Her lawyer, Nina Van Eeckhaut, has said that her client is approaching the trial with fear and hope and continues to insist that she was not involved in Dean’s death. De Kock’s lawyer, Jef Vermassen, has said that it is good that the trial is finally taking place and that his client is struggling emotionally.

Conclusion

After four and a half years of grief and silence, Elke Verberckmoes is preparing for one of the most difficult moments of her life: facing the people accused of responsibility for her son’s death. The memorial at Neeltje Jans is a place of remembrance, but also a symbol of a struggle that has not ended. “My son would not want me to give up,” she said. “I have to be strong.” The Ghent trial will be not only a confrontation with those accused, but also, for Elke, an important step in the long search for answers.