Woman dies in hospital five days after domestic strangulation in Málaga
A 35-year-old woman attacked at her home in Pinares de San Antón has died in intensive care, while her family plans organ donation and police confirm the case as gender violence.
Attack in Pinares de San Antón
On Wednesday, 16 September 2026, emergency services in Andalusia responded to a domestic violence incident in the city of Málaga. Around 18:00, the couple's minor daughter contacted the 112 emergency dispatch service to report that her father was attempting to strangle her mother inside their shared residence on Calle Leoni Benabú, located in the Pinares de San Antón district. The emergency dispatch center mobilized medical response teams and officers from the National Police to the address. Arriving police officers found the 35-year-old woman in cardiorespiratory arrest and immediately administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers. Medical personnel and officers restored her vital signs at the property before organizing her transfer to a local medical facility. Her 39-year-old partner took his own life at the residence by hanging himself with cable ties, and emergency workers confirmed his death on site.
Hospitalization and organ donation
Following the emergency response, the victim was admitted to the intensive care unit of a Málaga hospital in critical condition. She remained hospitalized in the unit for five days while receiving life support from medical staff. On Monday, 21 September 2026, health sources confirmed that the 35-year-old woman died from her injuries. Following her death, health officials cited by the EFE news agency confirmed that the victim's family decided to donate her organs. Police investigators officially categorized the fatal assault as a case of gender violence.
- Daughter contacts 112 emergency dispatch to report assault on Calle Leoni Benabú
- Police revive victim via CPR and transport her to hospital; man found dead at scene
- Woman dies in intensive care unit after five days; family announces organ donation
Absence from the VioGén registry
Inquiries conducted by law enforcement confirmed that neither the victim nor the perpetrator had prior entries in Spain's VioGén system. The VioGén platform serves as Spain's centralized registry to evaluate risk levels, monitor reported cases, and assign protective measures to victims of gender violence. Because no prior complaints or protective orders were registered in the database for the couple, security services had no active protective protocols in place for the residence. The absence of previous records meant that emergency authorities had no prior warning before the daughter's phone call on 16 September.
National gender violence figures and resources
The death in Málaga increases the number of women killed by partners or former partners in Spain to 38 during 2026. Since the Spanish government began compiling official gender violence statistics in 2003, the total number of victims nationwide has reached 1,379. Spanish institutions provide round-the-clock support for victims through the 016 helpline, which operates in 53 languages and offers assistance by phone, email, and WhatsApp. Calls placed to 016 leave no record on billing statements, though users are advised to delete outgoing calls from their phone logs. Minors affected by domestic violence can reach support services through the ANAR Foundation at 900 20 20 10. In urgent situations, individuals can contact emergency operators at 112, the National Police at 091, the Guardia Civil at 062, or send geolocated alerts via the Alertcops application.
