Romanian child abused in Spain
Publication: Jurnalul National
Publication date: June, 11, 2006
Author: Anca Alexe, Oana Vataselu
Romanian child abused in Spain
A little boy aged 6 is in a deep coma in the Son Dureta hospital in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, after being abused by his adoptive parents. The child, adopted since the age of two by the couple Jose R.M., aged 44 and Maria de las Nieves R., aged 39 has been in a deep coma since Tuesday. According to EFE media agency, the little boy was taken to the hospital with multiple skull fractures and injuries all over his body. Investigations revealed that the child had been many times hospitalized for physical aggressions. In the last three years, he landed in the private or public hospital beds 30 or 40 times.
COINCIDENCES… The explanations provided by the two Spanish to the doctors when they brought the child in the ER didn’t match the wounds of the child. This is why the doctors decided to contact the police which took him in custody a couple of hours later. Jose and Maria de las Nieves claimed they found their child unconscious in the house and that is why they called for an ambulance.
DIAGNOSIS. Gaspar Ian, director of Office for the Protection of Minors in Baleare Islands congratulated the doctors’ initiative to contact the authorities. He added that “in order to find the right solution for this case a lot of sensitiveness and professionalism is needed”. Friday night the woman confessed to the police that she is guilty for abusing the child. Her husband, considered an accomplice in the actions of physical violence inflicted to the child wasn’t arrested, under obligation to come forth before the judges twice a month.
TRIALS. The Spanish authorities opened a custody trial at the end of which the child will be trusted to the Direction for Child Protection in Son Dureta. The Institute for Deportations in Mallorca is also investigating the adoption case of the Romanian child. According to the Institute’s representatives, “once the adoption procedures of a minor end, his or her rights become equal to those of a biological child. Unfortunately, we can only intervene in cases where adoptive parents no longer respect their child’s rights, as in this particular situation. And sometimes it’s too late.”
EVALUATION. Nevertheless opinions are divided concerning this case. The Members of the Institute for Social Services in Mallorca claim that “the psychological tests applied to parents during the adoption procedures are to be blamed. Many of them had been evaluated superficially.” Therefore, Juan Ignacio Lopez, the public prosecutor of the Palma Court ordered the psychological re-evaluation of the couple. According to the latest medical report the child is still in a deep coma. Doctors say his condition might improve soon.
PRECEDENT. The Spanish media mention the most severe episode in the life of the 6 year old Romanian. In January 2002, the child was hospitalized in Son Dureta in Palma – the same public hospital in which he is now – because of serious corporal injuries. The parents claimed in front of the doctors that the child had fallen off the bed. Then the child got to the hospital in a coma. The conclusions of the investigations confirmed the parents’ affirmations. Moreover, the authorities considered that the wounds appeared during the adoption procedures. Reality is nevertheless different.
Lesions were accidentally discovered by the teacher of the kindergarten where the child was taken to. In front of the judge, the mother confessed she had pushed her child because he had been naughty, but that she didn’t intend to hurt him. “When I heard the bones of the child cracking and saw him fallen motionless to the ground, I decided to take him to the hospital”, Maria de las Nieves added.