22 dead women in three European countries need identifying

22 women and girls need to be identified in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.

The police say that most of the girls died violent deaths while others were abused or starved.

The bodies were discovered in three European countries between October 1976 and 2019.

Netherlands police spokespeople said. “Most of the 22 victims dies violently and some were also abused or starved. Partly because the women are likely from countries other than where they were found, their identities have not yet been established.”

“It is possible that their bodies were left in our countries to impede criminal investigations.”

Even though there have been extensive police investigations into the deaths, police still don’t know who they are or where they were from. Details about the cases have been published in the hope that someone may recognise a victim.

Carolien Opdecam of the Belgian police force said: “We want to stress that we are looking for names. The victim’s identity is often the key to unlocking the mysteries of a case.”

Anja Allendorf of the German police reiterated “In similar investigations, establishing the victim’s identity ultimately has led to the arrest of a suspect.”

Some of the cases involve a woman with a flower tattoo in Belgium, another woman who was found in a bag in a river in Amsterdam and another woman who had been found burned in a forest in Germany.

Details of each victim have been released on the Interpol website showing facial reconstruction of some of the victims, as well as videos and items of clothing and jewellery. Information is also available about their hair and eye colour together with approximate age.