Joker Killer Kim DeGelder suffered from depression for years

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"Regret but no remorse"
According to Mr Haentjens, Kim De Gelder didn’t have a “murder plan”.
“He had printed out the addresses of crèches, but why he chose Dendermonde remains a mystery."

De Gelder is reported not to remember anything of what happened on Friday morning and it is not yet clear whether he heard “voices” that told him to carried out the brutal attack on the crèche.
Jaak Haentjens says that his client has expressed regret for what happen.
However, as De Gelder is unable to remember what he did, he is unable to show any real remorse.

As a child, De Gelder is reported to have been lonely and withdrawn.
He suffered from severe depression and at one stage even heard voices in his head.
"There are indications that he suffers from a mental abnormality, but we will have to await the results of psychiatric reports.” Mr Haentjens told journalists.

"He suffered from severe depression when he was fifteen and sixteen and he behaved strangely."
"His parents had wanted him to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital when he was eighteen."
"However, he received out-patients’ treatment from a psychiatrist and it was judged not necessary to admit him to a psychiatric unit.”

Kim De Gelder moved out of the family home last October.
Since then he has only contacted his parents by telephone or text message.
Mr Haentjes concludes that "The issue is simply one of whether or not he was aware of his actions."

"Did he hear voices that made him do what he did?"
"If he acted in a psychotic state then he should be sectioned.”

Belgium's 'joker killer' Kim De Gelder admits guilt

The 20 year old Goth loner with a film obsession has broken his silence and hunger strike to talk to his lawyer Jaak Haentjes.
"He understands that he did something inhuman. I think that he feels regrets. That's what he says but it would be going too far to say that he repents," said Mr Haentjes.
"The reason why he chose babies in a creche as victims is still an enigma. I want to know why he did that. He too, he is ready to help in that sense."
Mr Haentjes has also revealed that Mr De Gelder's parents had wanted to confine him in an institution for the mentally ill.

He is now also suspected of murdering a 73 year old woman in a knife attack on Friday January 16. Christian Du Four, a state prosecutor, linked De Gelder to the "abominable crime".

Thousands take part in quiet march in Belgium for daycare murder victims

DENDERMONDE, Belgium - Thousands of Belgians marched in quiet tribute Sunday to two babies and a child minder killed in a frenzied knife attack on a daycare.
Police estimated that about 8,000 people, including many families with children, walked through the town of Dendermonde, 20 miles west of Brussels, to the Fabeltjesland -- Fairytale Land -- daycare, scene of Friday's attack.
Prosecutors have charged a 20-year-old unemployed Belgian with murdering the babies and a woman, and wounding 12 others, 10 of them children, in what seems to be a motiveless attack.
Local media dubbed the assailant the "Joker" killer because his face was painted white and his eyes blackened, like the criminal mastermind in the Batman films. The murders happened almost a year to the day of Heath Ledgers suicide.

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Three dead in stabbing attack at Belgian creche

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Three people were killed in a stabbing at a daycare centre in Sint-Gillis, part of the municipality of Dendermonde (East Flanders). Two children and one adult have died and some 10 childen were injured. The assailant was arrested by the police.
According to eyewitness reports a man went on a rampage causing a bloodbath in the daycare. His face was painted black and white. The attacker went into the daycare, pulled a knife and started stabbing anyone in his path. 3 people were killed.

Some 10 injured children were taken to hospitals in the area.The municiple disaster plan was immediatly called into effect, following the report of the incident. Ambulances were speeding to and from the creche. A police helicopter was deployed to look for the perpetrator, who left the scene of the crime by bicycle. He was reportedly detained in a nearby supermarket.

Earlier reports from the creche referred to chaos and panic in the daycare centre. Employees who were not hurt in the rampage are in shock. Federal Home Affairs Minister Guido De Padt arrived at the scene of the crime within a couple of hours. Flemish Welfare Minister Veerle Heeren was also there. Both officials are shocked about what happened and extend condolences to the families of the victims.

Dendermonde, a town of with 40,000 residents is about thirty miles north-west of Brussels. The public nursery was called "The Land of Fables with 18 children and six women, all staff members.