Father kills wife, children in Temse family tragedy

2 February 2006

BRUSSELS — Police suspect the 38-year-old Christian W. killed his former wife and their three children in the East Flemish town of Temse on Wednesday in an apparent murder-suicide.

The bodies of the five victims were found on Wednesday afternoon in one of the bedrooms of the house on the Prinsenlaan in Temse where the family lived.

The five victims have been identified as father Christian W. (38), his former wife Priscilla C., 47, their two sons Christopher, 14, and Randy, 12, and their daughter Yakina, 7. It is believed that Yakina was adopted.

“The five were lying next to each other on the ground. They were not tied up and there were no signs of violence,” a spokesman for the Dendermonde public prosecution office said.

Two burning barbeques with charcoal were found next to the bodies. The window was covered with a blanket and every crack and hole of the bedroom had been taped off.

It is believed that the man, his former wife and children died of CO poisoning and the public prosecution office suspects the family tragedy was a of case murder-suicide and that the man was the culprit.

However, it is not yet certain whether he drugged his victims or waited until his wife and children were asleep before carrying out his plans.

Police discovered the five bodies at about 2pm on Wednesday. Officers called at the house at the request of Dendermonde family services

W. and his wife, who was of oriental ancestry, had separated some time ago and W. lived in the nearby Sint-Niklaas. However, W. often visited the family home in Temse, leading to heated arguments.

The family services unit of the public prosecution office was monitoring the family because there had been reports of severe family problems for some time.

Neighbours said on Wednesday they had never noticed anything suspicious and that the couple had always looked happy.

Subject: Belgian news