In Barcelona, a court heard on Thursday that doctors at Vall d’Hebron said a six-week-old baby’s injuries were not accidental in an ongoing child violence case.
The hearing is being followed closely in Catalonia’s biggest city because family statements are due on Friday, and the defence is expected to ask for the father’s release next week, according to court reporting. For background on the hospital, see Vall d’Hebron Hospital.
According to the medical evidence heard in court, the Vall d’Hebron team said the baby’s anal injuries were caused by the introduction of a body part or an object. They also said these were the most severe anal injuries they had seen in their careers, after years of treating abused and injured infants at the hospital.
The court heard from four healthcare workers who treated the baby after the infant was transferred from Sant Pau hospital, following several days in different medical centres. A duty paediatrician, a doctor on call for children, the coordinator of the abuse unit, and an abdominal surgeon said the injuries to the brain, face, ribs, anus and femurs could not have been accidental, although they could not determine the exact cause.
Questions about the parents’ behaviour were also raised in court. Some healthcare workers described the mother as nervous and distressed about her son’s condition, while others said she seemed disoriented or absent. All witnesses agreed that the father was neglectful towards his newborn son.
On Wednesday, the mother’s colleagues, who are also nurses at Vall d’Hebron, gave evidence. They told the court that she had messaged them on WhatsApp, saying she had considered “kicking her husband out of the house” because of how he treated their son.
Family members of both investigated parents are due to give statements on Friday, and next week the father’s defence team plans to ask for his release from prison. Readers following court news in Barcelona can track updates on our News page.
