Marthainès de Vries, a Colombian native, has recently come forward with tragic revelations surrounding her past with the Dutch television program Spoorloos. For over twenty years, de Vries believed she had been reunited with her biological family, only to discover, after extensive personal investigation, she had been paired with the wrong relatives. This harrowing mistake has now incited legal action against KRO-NCRV, the broadcasting company behind Spoorloos, raising serious questions about the show's practices.
At the tender age of 19, de Vries participated in the popular program, which connects adopted individuals with their biological families. During her appearance, she was reunited with what was presented as her biological family, which turned out to be erroneous. "I am so sad and so angry at Spoorloos. If the editorial team had done their job properly, I could have spent nine more years with my real mother and eleven years with my father. Now they are dead. I will never get back those years," de Vries lamented to De Volkskrant.
Recently, de Vries undertook her own search after growing increasingly skeptical of her match. Her research led to the discovery of her true biological siblings, which included her half-brother and half-sister. It became clear to her only after accessing DNA results from the Tilburg laboratory Consanguinitas. Sadly, both her parents passed away years before she could find the truth. "I have cried so much after the death of Belén, my supposed mother, knowing she must have realized she was not my true parent," she said.
The KRO-NCRV network has expressed its regret over the situation. They have been in dialogue with de Vries for several months concerning her doubts and suggested DNA testing, which she declined. “We realize she still has many questions, and we do too. We would like to discuss personally with her, as we believe this constructive approach suits the situation, considering the personal anguish involved,” the broadcaster stated.
Despite the grief and anger it has caused, de Vries’ story is not unique. Reports have surfaced indicating several other participants of Spoorloos were similarly mismatched. Investigations revealed systemic flaws within the program’s methodology, particularly concerning their collaboration with Colombian intermediaries, which has led to numerous incorrect pairings.
With past failures now under scrutiny, de Vries is seeking to hold KRO-NCRV responsible for the emotional and psychological damage she has endured due to this error. She has launched a crowdfunding campaign to potentially fund her legal battle against the network. Her actions come on the heels of revelations about multiple adoption scenarios involving similar discrepancies from the program.
De Vries is determined to seek answers. Indeed, the fallout from her situation has illuminated the need for accountability from the network. "This is the umpteenth indication of much more going wrong at Spoorloos than what is currently known," noted Fiona Teggatz, another adoptee advocating for others who experienced mismatches via the program.
Following her recent success in finding her biological family, de Vries now prepares for her trip to Colombia to meet them for the first time. Although her heart carries the weight of lost years, she embraces the warmth of newfound connections with her true relatives. The emotional rollercoaster she faced—an excited reunion followed by heartbreaking revelations—illustrates the concerning consequences of Spoorloos’ reckless approach.
With legal proceedings on the horizon, all eyes will be on KRO-NCRV as more individuals stand ready to share their devastating experiences. The hope remains strong for reform within the Spoorloos program, so others do not have to endure the pain of such egregious mismatches.