AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — December 3, 2025 — Dutch judicial proceedings continued this week in the case surrounding the death of 18-year-old Syrian national Ryan Al-Najjar, whose body was found earlier this year in a marsh near Winschoten. The investigation remains active, the court has not issued any ruling, and all defendants are presumed innocent under Dutch law.

According to statements made during public hearings by the DUTCH PUBLIC PROSECUTION SERVICE (OPENBAAR MINISTERIE), Ryan was located in a swamp area with her hands, feet, and mouth bound with extensive tape. Prosecutors told the court that evidence indicated she entered the water alive and died by drowning. They also stated that the autopsy documented injuries consistent with a struggle beforehand. In addition, the OPENBAAR MINISTERIE reported that DNA attributed to Ryan’s father, Khaled Al-N., was identified beneath her fingernails, and that a fingerprint belonging to one of her brothers was recovered from her phone case. Prosecutors also described internal family tensions related to expectations about Ryan’s public conduct and appearance as context considered relevant to the investigation.

Appalachian Post reviewed all currently available first-hand filings and cannot independently confirm these statements beyond what the PUBLIC PROSECUTION SERVICE presented during open court sessions. The complete autopsy report, forensic documentation, and underlying evidentiary records have not been released publicly for independent examination.

The investigation began when the DUTCH NATIONAL POLICE responded to a missing-person report and later discovered Ryan’s body. Authorities collected forensic materials and coordinated with the PUBLIC PROSECUTION SERVICE under standard Dutch criminal-procedure processes. According to court filings, the father named in the proceedings is not currently in custody, while two of Ryan’s brothers are participating in ongoing judicial hearings. No timeline for a verdict has been announced, and further sessions are scheduled.

As the case develops, the Dutch court will review additional evidence as it becomes available. Appalachian Post will continue to examine only first-hand Dutch prosecutorial filings, court statements, and law-enforcement records as they are released.

At the Appalachian Post, we follow strict evidence-based reporting standards: we verify information through first-hand official sources, avoid speculation, avoid political or cultural framing, and maintain complete neutrality so readers can evaluate documented information independently.

Primary First-Hand Sources

• DUTCH PUBLIC PROSECUTION SERVICE (OPENBAAR MINISTERIE)
• DUTCH NATIONAL POLICE
• Dutch Court Hearings / Official Filings

Secondary Attribution-Based Sources

• NL Times (summaries quoting prosecutors during hearings)
• Additional Dutch media reporting on official statements and filings