Assen, Netherlands – Dutch authorities have closed their investigation into Theodoor V, a nurse who came forward alleging they euthanized at least 20 coronavirus patients at the Wilhelmina Ziekenhuis in Assen during the height of the pandemic. Despite initial media focus on the case, the public prosecution department has concluded there is insufficient evidence to support the nurse’s claims.

During the probe, which centered on V’s tenure as a specialist lung nurse at the Wilhelmina Ziekenhuis in Assen during the pandemic, authorities failed to uncover concrete evidence corroborating V’s self-reported actions. The department emphasized that a ruling cannot solely rely on an individual’s statements, citing the necessity for concrete facts or situations to substantiate such serious allegations.

V was released from custody in June of the previous year after legal experts deemed the evidence against him insufficient to warrant his continued detention pending a potential trial. The allegations surfaced after V reportedly confessed to colleagues during his treatment at a regional mental health clinic in Drenthe. He claimed to have euthanized patients by tampering with their ventilators and administering lethal doses of morphine.

Throughout the investigation, witnesses both within and outside the hospital were interviewed, records were scrutinized, and V himself was questioned twice, vehemently denying the accusations. The public prosecutor acknowledged the distress caused to the relatives of the deceased patients, emphasizing that while uncertainty may persist for some, there is no evidence to suggest criminal wrongdoing on V’s part in any of the deaths investigated.

The closure of the case brings a sense of resolution to a tumultuous period marked by uncertainty and speculation. However, it also underscores the importance of thorough and evidence-based investigations in cases of such gravity. While the allegations against V sparked widespread concern and scrutiny, the conclusion of the investigation serves as a reminder of the necessity for due process and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.