Amsterdam child sex-abuse case – Kenya connection

RNW

It’s now been revealed that Robert Mikelson, the man arrested in connection with alleged child sex abuse at Dutch daycare centres, once worked at an orphanage in Kenya and may have attended toddler ‘slumber parties’ in Amsterdam.

The director of children’s daycare centre is one of the daycare centres which employed Robert Mikelson, who was arrested last week on child abuse charges. He is thought to have sexually abused up to 53 children in the age group up to 4 years.

Director Albert Drent is said to have organised children’s parties at several locations, including his own home. The parties were held without parents being present and the children sometimes stayed overnight. Mr Mikelson and his legal husband, who is now charged with possession of child pornography, are said to have been present at some of the parties.

Kenya connection
Last spring Robert Mikelson lived at an orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya, where he worked as a volunteer. The home provided a pre-school programme for young children. He wrote in a blog: “I met and helped many children there. The kids at this pre-school are in the age group between 3½ and 8. After that they move on to regular primary schools.” In the blog he also mentioned undergoing HIV testing.

Recent tests performed in the Netherlands after his arrest have produced negative results for HIV, hepatitis B en syphilis.