Memorial for Dutroux Victims Julie and Mélissa in Hainaut

A memorial will be erected at the site in Sars-la-Buissière, in the province of Hainaut, where the bodies of Julie Lejeune and Mélissa Russo were discovered in 1996, 30 years after the tragedy that shook Belgium to its core. The commune of Lobbes, which acquired the former property of convicted child abuser and murderer Marc Dutroux, has confirmed the project remains a priority, according to VRT NWS.

A Place of Memory in Sars-la-Buissière

The memorial will take the form of a pathway, or “parcours,” that “bridges the past and the future,” according to Lobbes mayor Steven Royez (Les Engagés). The commune expects to receive the necessary building permit in the coming weeks, after which an entrepreneur will be sought for construction, as La Libre reported.

The design is described as sober, discreet, and green—a place of passage, homage, and reflection in a meadow dotted with trees, with a discreet mention of Julie and Mélissa’s names. The project was developed through consultations with residents and Jean-Denis Lejeune, Julie’s father, who was closely involved in shaping the memorial’s vision.

“The monument is a priority for us,” Royez said, as quoted by RTBF. The memorial is budgeted at approximately 200,000 euros, to be funded through a subsidy or from the commune’s own funds.

From Tragedy to Transformation

The site holds profound significance. It was in the garden of Dutroux’s property in Sars-la-Buissière that the bodies of Julie, 8, and Mélissa, 9, were found buried on August 17, 1996—four days after Dutroux’s arrest. The two girls had died of hunger and thirst in a cage in his home in Marcinelle in spring 1996, after being kidnapped in June 1995 while playing near Mélissa’s home in Grâce-Hollogne.

The commune of Lobbes acquired the property several years ago, demolished the house in March 2023, and completed site cleanup by May of that year. As L’Avenir noted, the former mayor Lucien Bauduin (PS) oversaw the demolition, stating: “The construction site is finished, it was carried out quickly without setbacks. Where the ruin and annexes were, we reseeded and grassed over.”

Royez explained the commune’s commitment to the project, telling RTBF in February: “It was important for us to build this memorial. We could have easily said ‘it’s been 30 years, we’re not doing anything and we act as if nothing happened.’ That was not our will. Just because it hasn’t progressed in the past doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take our responsibilities today. It’s also a way for the village, for loved ones, and for all people who were touched by what happened to turn the page, without forgetting what happened.”

A Second Memorial Site

This will be the second memorial related to the Dutroux case. A memorial garden called “Tussen Hemel en Aarde” (Between Heaven and Earth) was inaugurated in September 2023 at the site of Dutroux’s former house in Marcinelle, where the hidden cellar and cage were located. The name was suggested by Louisa Albert, Julie’s mother, who said: “That name came to me spontaneously. It creates a bond between us on the ground, the earth, and our children in heaven,” as VRT NWS reported.

The garden features white brick walls and a mural depicting a child with a kite. Charleroi mayor Paul Magnette described its purpose: “So that we don’t forget, but soften the memory: for the families of the victims, but also for the people of Charleroi and the whole country.”

The Legacy of the Dutroux Case

The Dutroux case remains one of the most traumatic events in modern Belgian history. Between 1995 and 1996, Dutroux—a previously convicted child abuser who had been released on parole—kidnapped six girls. Four of them, including Julie and Mélissa, were murdered. Two, Sabine Dardenne and Laetitia Delhez, survived and were rescued from a hidden cellar beneath his house in Marcinelle on August 15, 1996.

The case exposed severe failures in the Belgian police and judicial systems, triggering a national crisis of confidence. The public’s anger culminated in the White March of October 20, 1996, when over 300,000 people marched in Brussels—the largest demonstration in Belgium since World War II. The affair led to major institutional reforms, including the creation of Child Focus, the restructuring of Belgian police, and the strengthening of victims’ rights. Dutroux received a life sentence in 2004.

As justice journalist Caroline Van den Berghe reflected on the 30th anniversary of the case: “There is a before and after Dutroux. Those were different times, we lived more carefree,” she said in a VRT NWS retrospective.

What’s Next

The announcement comes during the 30th anniversary of the Dutroux case—August 13, 2026 marked three decades since his arrest, and August 15 marks 30 years since Sabine Dardenne and Laetitia Delhez were rescued. The timing gives the memorial project particular resonance.

Once the building permit is granted, construction could begin promptly. If all goes according to plan, the memorial could be completed before the end of the year, providing a lasting tribute to two young girls whose tragic fate continues to shape Belgium’s collective memory.

For the village of Lobbes and for the families who have carried this burden for three decades, the memorial represents a way to honor the past while looking toward the future—a quiet place of reflection where Julie and Mélissa will never be forgotten.