Parents of three-month-old baby who died in Toro, Spain released with negligent homicide charges

Death and first response

A three-month-old baby girl died during the night of Saturday into Sunday, August 9, 2026, at a family home in Toro, a town in the province of Zamora, Spain. A family member who was caring for the infant at the time alerted emergency services at 12:45 on Sunday, informing paramedics that the baby had died during the night from unknown causes. One Portuguese-language outlet, Notícias ao Minuto, placed the alert at 11:45, while all Spanish-language sources report 12:45. The family member indicated that the baby had died during sleep without anyone noticing, according to the same outlet. When health services arrived at the residence, they could not certify a natural death. According to the Spanish daily ABC, the baby showed no signs of external violence, but the circumstances did not fit the pattern of sudden infant death syndrome either. The inability to confirm a natural death triggered the activation of the judicial commission, which brought the duty judge, a forensic doctor, and agents of the Guardia Civil's Judicial Police Organic Unit to the scene.

Detention pending autopsy

After an inspection of the home, the baby's body was removed at 15:18 on Sunday, as reported by most sources; ABC placed the time near 15:20. The judge of the Court of First Instance of Toro, who assumed responsibility for the case, ordered the detention of both parents pending the results of an autopsy. The court declared the proceedings secret, preventing the release of further details about the circumstances of the death. ABC reported that the possibility of negligent homicide was being considered from the outset, which led to the initial detention of the parents as suspected perpetrators of the involuntary death of their child. The body was taken for forensic examination after the on-site inspection concluded. The autopsy was performed on the morning of Monday, August 10, according to El Mundo, La Razón, and SIC Notícias. The outlet 20 minutos, however, reported that the autopsy was conducted on Tuesday. No results from the autopsy have been disclosed.

Release with charges

El Mundo reported that the parents were scheduled to appear before the judicial authority on Tuesday so the judge could decide whether to release them or order pretrial detention. The parents were transported to the duty court in Toro on Tuesday afternoon for the hearing. On the afternoon of Tuesday, August 11, the Court of First Instance of Toro released both parents with charges as suspected perpetrators of a crime of negligent homicide, known in Spanish law as homicidio por imprudencia. The Subdelegation of the Government in Zamora confirmed the charge in a note carried by Europa Press. As conditions of their release, the parents must appear before the court in Toro once a week. Both had their passports withdrawn and were prohibited from leaving Spanish territory. The investigation remains in the hands of the Guardia Civil's Judicial Police, with all court proceedings continuing under secrecy.