Genevieve Lhermitte
| Genevieve Lhermitte | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 16, 1966 Brussels, Belgium |
| Residence | Forest Prison (Berkendael) |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Occupation | Housewife |
| Criminal penalty | Life in prison |
| Criminal status | Currently in prison |
| Spouse(s) | Bouchaib Moqadem |
| Children | Four daughters, one son |
| Parent(s) |
|
| Motive | |
| Conviction(s) | Murder |
Genevieve Lhermitte is a Belgian woman who killed all her five children on February 28, 2007. She killed each of her children by slitting their throats with a kitchen knife stolen from a local grocery store while her husband was visiting family in Morocco. After Lhermitte killed her children, she then tried to kill herself. The suicide attempt failed, and Lhermitte was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder. She was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment.
Lhermitte had regularly seen a psychiatrist and was reported to demonstrate serious mental issues. She claimed that she was driven to kill her children due to troubles at home (namely, living with an outsider who financially supported the family).
Genevieve Lhermitte was born on November 16, 1966 in Brussels to Michel Lhermitte, a businessman and student, and Marina Schoevaert, a nurse. Lhermitte had two younger sisters: Catherine in 1969, and Mireille in 1972. Though she struggled with her coursework and self-confidence during her secondary studies, Lhermitte graduated in 1991 with a diploma in French and History from the Educational Institute of Social Promotion of the French Community (IEPSCF) in Uccle. It was during the 1988-1989 year at IEPSCF that Lhermitte met her future husband, Bouchaib Moqadem, who was studying mathematics and physics but did not complete his studies.
Lhermitte and Moqadem married on September 22, 1990, and moved into the apartment of Dr. Michel Schaar, a physician, with whom Moqadem was residing. Schaar had befriended Moqadem's family in Morocco in the 1980s and served as the young man's host in Belgium, and Moqadem considered Schaar as an adoptive father. While Moqadem worked at a convenience store, it was Schaar that was the primary financial provider. Lhermitte did not object to living with Schaar in his apartment as she thought it would be on a temporary basis.
In 1991, Lhermitte was hired as a teacher. Shortly after beginning her new career, Lhermitte gave birth to her first child, Yasmine (b. August 13, 1992). Three years later, she delivered her second child, Nora (b. February 13, 1995). From June 1, 1995 to August 31, 1996, Lhermitte was granted leave from her teaching position due to postpartum depression. After the birth of Lhermitte's first child Yasmin, Schaar purchased a house for himself and the couple to live in, and he dedicated his apartment to his practice. In 1996, Schaar hired Moqadem to serve as his filing assistant part-time, then full-time in 1998. During this period, Schaar still covered most expenses, including vacations, house repairs, monthly allowances, and life insurance for each family member. Lhermitte gave birth to two more daughters, Miriam (b. April 20, 1997) and Mina (May 20, 1999), before the family's move from Brussels to the provincial town of Nivelles. Schaar paid the mortgage and lived on the second floor.
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