A Dutch court has sentenced Dave de K. to 30 years in prison for the death and abduction of four-year-old Dean, with 15 years of TBS (court-ordered psychiatric detention) added, according to Omroep Zeeland. Romy W. was acquitted and released immediately, AD.nl reported.
The verdict was handed down on Monday, 19 October 2026, and covered by several Dutch outlets. De Telegraaf reported that prosecutors had sought prison terms for both defendants. AD.nl described the outcome as a jury judgment of manslaughter against De K., while NOS reported the 30-year sentence for Dean's death and abduction.
The reporting indicates the two defendants faced different outcomes: a long custodial term plus psychiatric detention for De K., and outright release for W. PZC noted that W., from Zeelandic Flanders, had spent nearly five years in a cell measuring two by three metres before her release came within reach.
The case has drawn sustained attention in the Dutch press, with coverage spanning the prosecution's sentencing demands, the jury's findings and the practical consequences for both defendants. The reports do not detail the evidence presented or the court's full reasoning.
What to watch next: whether either side appeals the verdict, and how the TBS element affects the timing of De K.'s eventual release.