Spanish mother faces four years in prison for detaining her three children for ten days in 2021
Nieves B. R. and her ex-partner David F. P. are accused of unlawfully imprisoning three siblings—aged eight, six and four—who were under institutional care in a residential facility in Aranjuez.
Spanish mother faces four years in prison for detaining her three children for ten days in 2021
A Spanish national woman and her then-partner are facing separate prison sentences over an incident that occurred in Aranjuez (Madrid) in November 2021. Both stand accused of unlawfully detaining three minors—siblings aged eight, six and four—who were living under official protection at the Madre Teresa Residence, a facility run by the regional administration.
According to the charge sheet, to which newspaper ABC has had access, the mother collected the children on 14 November for an authorised visit that was supposed to end at nine o'clock in the evening. However, the woman failed to return them at the scheduled time and the five—the mother, her partner and the three children—disappeared.
Over the following ten days, the biological father and the paternal grandfather visited numerous towns—including Parla, Getafe, Illescas, Almorox, Ciempozuelos and Leganés—attempting to locate the minors. The search was supported by SOS Desaparecidos, which distributed photographs and information about the case. The situation was particularly grave because two of the siblings required medical treatment: one had undergone surgery shortly before and the other suffered from hyperactivity.
The case was resolved on 24 November when officers from the National Police found the three children in an occupied house in Cadalso de los Vidrios. The arrest came after an anonymous call from a local resident who recognised the mother by a distinctive facial tattoo—a scorpion next to a cross—that she had seen in reports about the disappearance. The neighbour posted her observation on a Facebook group for the municipality. Subsequently, another person confirmed the identification after being shown images by investigators.
The Public Prosecutor's Office and the private prosecution, represented by solicitor Juan Manuel Medina, are requesting four years' imprisonment for each defendant. The woman would be considered the principal perpetrator, whilst the man—who has no kinship with the minors—would be liable as a necessary accomplice.
The trial has not yet been scheduled. Notably, one of the children—Izan, who is now twelve years old—disappeared again on 19 May when he fled from the same residential care facility.
Source: ABC