Prosecutors in Barcelona now suspect the father of a six-week-old baby tried to kill the child. The case has escalated after new evidence, with authorities pushing for an attempted homicide charge.
Barcelona prosecutors have intensified their case against the father of a six-week-old baby who suffered severe injuries, now formally requesting that he be charged with attempted homicide. The move follows the emergence of new evidence uncovered by the Mossos d’Esquadra, which, according to the authorities, points to a deliberate attempt to end the infant’s life. The man, who remains in pre-trial detention, is expected to appear urgently before a judge as the investigation takes a more serious turn.
The case began in March, when both parents were arrested on suspicion of inflicting grave harm on their newborn. The mother, a nurse at the Vall d’Hebron hospital, was later released from custody, but the father’s requests for release have been repeatedly denied by both the investigating judge and the Barcelona court. Prosecutors now argue that the latest findings reveal even graver circumstances, justifying the urgent reassessment of the father’s legal status and the addition of the attempted homicide charge to the existing accusations of habitual abuse, serious injury, and sexual assault.
Investigators report that the injuries sustained by the baby were life-threatening and are likely to result in permanent consequences. The Mossos d’Esquadra have identified new incriminating elements that, in the view of the prosecution, necessitate a reclassification of the alleged crimes. The prosecution maintains a firm stance against the father’s release, citing risks of obstruction of justice, repeat offenses, and flight.
While the mother is currently free on provisional release, she is subject to strict restrictions: she cannot approach her child within 500 meters or leave Spain, as ordered by the Barcelona court. The baby remains under the care of the Generalitat, the regional government of Catalonia.
Child abuse cases in Spain are prosecuted with increasing rigor, especially when evidence suggests a risk to life or lasting harm. Under Spanish law, attempted homicide carries severe penalties, and the addition of this charge reflects the seriousness with which authorities are treating the incident. The case has drawn attention to the protocols for protecting vulnerable children and the legal responsibilities of parents and caregivers in Spain.
