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her from fictitious men who wanted to kill her. During her imprisonment in the basement of
Dutroux's house, Dutroux allowed Dardenne to write emotional letters to her friends and family, which he never sent despite promises that he would do so. When, after many weeks, she said she wanted one of her friends to visit her, he kidnapped 14-year-old Laetitia Delhez, saying, "Look what I've done for you."
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Dardenne was kidnapped by
Dutroux on 28 May 1996, while riding her bicycle to school. Although just twelve years old, Dardenne fought back, pelting Dutroux with questions and demands. He convinced Dardenne that he was her only ally and that her parents had failed to produce the ransom that would save
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Dardenne's ordeal in the basement of
Dutroux's house lasted 80 days, and Delhez spent six days in the basement before both were rescued by authorities. Earlier victims included eight-year-olds Melissa Russo and Julie Lejeune, both of whom died of starvation while Dutroux was in prison for car theft,
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The abduction of Delhez was
Dutroux's undoing, since local witnesses in Delhez's hometown had spotted his car and at least one had written down his registration number, which police investigators traced to Dutroux. Dardenne and Delhez were rescued on 15 August 1996, by the Belgian police, two days
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ring that included prominent individuals and the legal Ă©tablissements in
Belgium. Dardenne and Delhez both testified against Dutroux during his 2004 trial, and their testimony played an important role in his subsequent conviction. They both also asked him why he did what he did to them.
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It took eight years for the case to come to trial. There were numerous problems, including arguments over jurisdiction, legal and procedural mistakes and charges of incompetence and evidence that disappeared. There were also several
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In
October 1996, 350,000 people marched in Brussels to protest against police incompetence in the case. The slow pace of the trial and disturbing revelations of more of Dutroux's victims created public outrage.
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in 1996. Dardenne was one of
Dutroux's last two victims. She and fellow captive Laetitia Delhez survived, though the bodies of four other kidnap victims and Dutroux's accomplice were found on the property.
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under a shed on
Dutroux's property. A fifth body, that of his French accomplice, Bernard Weinstein, was found. Dutroux admitted to having drugged Weinstein and burying him alive.
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during publication. The book has been translated into 14 languages and published in 30 countries. It became a number one bestseller both in continental Europe and the
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of people involved with the case including prosecutors, police officers, and witnesses. Communications between Dutch-speaking
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and seventeen-year-old An
Marchal and nineteen-year-old Eefje Lambrechts, both of whom were
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98:(born 28 October 1983) is a Belgian author. She was kidnapped at the age of twelve by the
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Dardenne's account of her abduction and its aftermath are documented in her memoir
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after
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During the trial, Dutroux claimed to be a minion of a continent-wide
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J'avais douze ans, j'ai pris mon vélo et je suis partie à l'école
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J'avais 12 ans, j'ai pris mon vélo et je suis partie à l'école
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440:"Dutroux claims police helped in teens' kidnap"
195:(2005) Virago Press, London (Original title:
462:(11 November 2004) Retrieved 5 December 2010
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73:Found alive 15 August 1996 (aged 12)
447:(3 March 2004) Retrieved 6 December 2010
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96:Sabine Anne Renée Ghislaine Dardenne
35:Sabine Anne Renée Ghislaine Dardenne
233:"Belgian kidnap victim tells story"
214:List of solved missing person cases
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415:Fouché, Alexandra (17 June 2004).
359:from the original on 26 July 2022.
280:Supp, Barbara (11 November 2004).
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396:. Associated Press. 20 April 2004
390:"Dutroux victim confronts rapist"
269:from the original on 1 July 2022.
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457:"Surviving Marc Dutroux", Part 1
513:Missing person cases in Belgium
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345:Black, Ian (28 February 2004).
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488:Child sexual abuse in Belgium
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417:"Belgium's trial of shame"
63:28 May 1996 (aged 12)
375:28 September 2018 at the
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498:Kidnapped Belgian people
282:"Surviving Marc Dutroux"
257:"Don't waste pity on me"
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493:Formerly missing people
65:Kain, Tournai, Belgium
241:. 24 February 2003.
152:and French-speaking
523:People from Tournai
209:List of kidnappings
503:Kidnapped children
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133:buried alive
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478:1983 births
460:Der Spiegel
370:Book review
287:Der Spiegel
127:them both.
78:Nationality
60:Disappeared
472:Categories
220:References
114:Kidnapping
86:Occupation
41:1983-10-28
444:The Times
165:pedophile
54:, Belgium
427:Archived
422:BBC News
373:Archived
357:Archived
319:Archived
292:Archived
267:Archived
243:Archived
238:BBC News
203:See also
154:Wallonia
150:Flanders
146:suicides
400:8 March
81:Belgian
52:Tournai
89:Author
70:Status
187:Books
139:Trial
125:raped
402:2022
102:and
31:Born
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