Mother of Chris Vanhaverbeke Defends Son in Court

The trial of Chris Vanhaverbeke, 48, continued in Bruges on Wednesday as the court heard a statement from his mother, who strongly defended her son and described the family conflict that preceded the deaths of his two young daughters.

Vanhaverbeke, a potato farmer from Waardamme in Oostkamp, is on trial after his daughters, Maud, 8, and Ona, 5, died in November 2022. He is also accused of attempting to kill their mother, Astrid.

Because Vanhaverbeke’s mother did not attend the court session in person, her statement from October 2023 was read to the jury.

Mother Blames Her Son’s In-Laws

In her statement, Vanhaverbeke’s mother said she believed her son had been deeply affected by his relationship with his former in-laws, particularly Astrid’s father.

“His in-laws ruined him, especially his father-in-law,” she said in the statement.

She claimed that her son had told her that Astrid’s father had referred to him as “the potato farmer” at a baby shower. She also said that Chris believed he was expected to contribute more toward paying off the couple’s loan than Astrid.

According to his mother, she and her husband spent almost five years helping with renovations at the family property on an almost daily basis.

She said the relationship between the two families had become increasingly difficult and claimed that Astrid’s father frequently criticized the potatoes produced by Chris and had even accused the family of stealing equipment.

She Believed the Divorce Came Unexpectedly

Vanhaverbeke’s mother said that Chris did not expect Astrid to leave him.

She also gave her own interpretation of the timing of the separation, saying she believed Astrid had waited until the renovations were finished before ending the relationship.

“I think Astrid waited until all the renovations were finished before leaving Chris,” she said in her statement, adding that she believed this could have resulted in Astrid receiving more money.

She also suggested that Astrid’s father may have advised her to wait until the renovations were completed.

These were the mother’s claims and beliefs about the relationship and the divorce. They do not establish that Astrid or her father caused the events that followed.

Chris Was Worried About Losing Everything

According to his mother, Chris feared that Astrid would take everything from him after the separation.

She said he believed Astrid’s father might eventually buy the farm while Astrid would operate the holiday property.

“For her parents, it is only about money,” she said, according to the statement.

She also said the divorce was difficult for Chris because he had not seen it coming and that Astrid had contacted a lawyer only a few days after the separation.

His Mother Described Him as Quiet and Hardworking

The statement also portrayed Chris as a quiet and hardworking man.

His mother described him as a good son, a hard worker and someone who was careful with money. She said he was honest and neither jealous nor quick-tempered.

According to her description, Chris was not someone who shouted or behaved aggressively. She said he generally got along well with other farmers, including when they exchanged farmland.

The family did not regularly travel on vacation, she said, although they sometimes went to fairs or amusement parks.

She Remembered Maud and Ona

The statement also focused on the two girls, Maud and Ona.

Vanhaverbeke’s mother described them as very well-behaved children who listened and followed instructions.

She said she still had a framed photograph of the girls in her home and that she would never remove it.

She also said that all of the Sinterklaas presents for Maud and Ona were still in a cupboard.

“I don’t think we will live to see the day when Chris can visit us at home again,” she said, adding that she was no longer sleeping well and suffered from headaches every day.

Teachers Also Testified in Court

The statement from Vanhaverbeke’s mother was read during a day of testimony that also included teachers connected to the family.

Lotte, Maud’s teacher in the third grade, described the girl as a quiet and well-behaved student who was willing to help others. She said Maud got along well with other children and played with both boys and girls.

The teacher also said Maud sometimes complained of headaches, although she said the school did not immediately connect those complaints with the parents’ separation.

The court also heard from Geert Denoo, who had taught Chris when he was in fifth grade. He described Chris as a quiet and unremarkable student and said there had been no problems involving him at school.

The criminal trial in Bruges is continuing, with the court examining testimony and evidence surrounding the deaths of Maud and Ona and the events involving their parents.