Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality is opening an external, independent investigation into the course of events surrounding the death of school leader Hans Henrik Jakobsen, who took his own life in January 2026.
DR reports that all eight parties on the town council agree to launch the inquiry. The municipality announced the decision in a press release on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. The investigation covers the period both before and after Jakobsen’s death.
Jakobsen was the head of Rindum Kjærgaard, a special-school provision in Ringkøbing. According to DR, he had been on sick leave with stress, which developed into depression. He died by suicide in January 2026.
In its joint statement, Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality says the inquiry will examine the entire work-related course of events around Jakobsen’s death. It will also cover the municipality’s subsequent handling of the case. The municipality states that the work will be thorough and carried out with respect for the family, staff and the legal rights of those involved.
Mayor Lone Andersen, of Venstre, says the municipality wants to establish whether there are places in the administrative or political system where it failed. Her comments were reported by DR alongside the municipality’s announcement.
Late-night emails cited as trigger
Dagbladet Ringkøbing-Skjern reported that local politicians reacted in particular to a series of critical emails. According to the newspaper, the emails were sent to Jakobsen by superiors in the municipal administration late in the evening and during the night.
DR notes that Andersen has used the Danish term voksenmobning, meaning adult bullying, about the course of events. The same description was reported by Dagbladet Ringkøbing-Schjern’s coverage of the mayor’s reaction to the case. No findings from the planned investigation have been published.
Jakobsen’s family has spoken to the press about the case on several occasions, according to DR. The municipality has not said who will carry out the external inquiry or when it is expected to conclude.
Rindum Kjærgaard is part of the municipal school system in Ringkøbing, in western Jutland. Special-school provisions serve pupils who need support beyond what mainstream classes offer, and they form part of education in Denmark at the municipal level. Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality is responsible for the school as employer.
The decision follows months of public attention to the case in local media. DR reports that the agreement among all eight council parties covers both the events before Jakobsen’s death and the municipality’s response afterward.
