Court in Seville Closes Case Against School After Student’s Death. A court in Seville has closed the investigation following a complaint from the parents of a deceased schoolgirl. Prosecutors found no link between the school's actions and the tragedy. Andalusian authorities continue an administrative review.
In Seville, a court has closed the criminal case against the Irlandesas de Loreto school, which was filed by the parents of 14-year-old Sandra Peña after her death. The family accused the educational institution of failing to implement the anti-bullying protocol despite reports of harassment by her classmates. The judge sided with the juvenile prosecutor’s office, which had also called for the closure of the case earlier, and found no direct link between the actions of the school and the tragedy.
The case materials state that the school administration received information about possible bullying on 1 September 2025, when Sandra’s mother submitted a psychologist’s report to the school management. The report described mockery, insults, and signs of an anxiety-depressive condition in the girl. According to the investigation, there had also been isolated incidents of bullying during the previous academic year; however, the prosecutor considered these to be one-off cases, handled internally by the school.
Although the anti-bullying protocol was not formally activated, the school took a number of steps: it separated Sandra and the alleged bullies into different classes, recommended seeking help from mental health professionals, appointed responsible staff, and increased supervision by teachers. The prosecutor's office emphasized that these measures, in the psychologist's opinion, had a positive effect on the girl's condition. However, according to the authorities, even the formal activation of the protocol would not have guaranteed the prevention of the tragedy, since part of the conflicts occurred outside the school, where the institution could not influence the situation.
In the ruling, the judge noted that the school and its staff took reasonable actions to protect the student, but were not obligated to supervise her outside school hours. Sandra took her own life at home, outside of school time, which, according to the court, rules out teacher responsibility for the incident. The decision stresses that the anti-bullying protocol is effective, but its application does not always change the outcome in such cases.
In parallel with the criminal investigation, the authorities of Andalusia have initiated an administrative inspection of the Irlandesas de Loreto school to determine whether it should be deprived of state funding due to possible violations. This process has been suspended until the investigation is complete. Issues regarding parental interference in the educational process and the responsibility of educational institutions for the psychological well-being of students have been discussed in Spain before—similar topics were previously raised at universities, such as in a report on the influence of families on student autonomy in Granada and Alicante (details here).
For those experiencing suicidal thoughts or in need of support, Spain operates the 024 hotline by the Ministry of Health. You can also contact the Telephone of Hope (717 003 717) or use the Fundación Anar services for children and adolescents (900 20 20 10, chat at anar.org).
