Guardia Civil Investigates Murder of Three-Year-Old Girl in Torrevieja as Vicarious Violence

The Guardia Civil is investigating the murder of a three-year-old girl in Torrevieja, in the Alicante province of Spain, as a case of vicarious violence, after the child's father — a man of around 40 years old — allegedly killed her at his home on the night of Friday, March 20, 2026, before taking his own life. Sources close to the investigation confirmed to Europa Press and El País the discovery of two bodies at the father's residence: that of the young girl and that of her parent. The Guardia Civil is treating the case as a possible crime of sexist vicarious violence, pending confirmation from the Government Delegation against Gender Violence, which stated it was gathering data on the events. The Government Delegate in the Valencian Community, Pilar Bernabé, publicly condemned the killing within hours of the discovery, calling it an act of "unbearable terrorism." The case has drawn immediate national attention as Spain continues to grapple with gender-based violence statistics that show no sign of abating in 2026.

Bernabé condemns killing as "unbearable terrorism" Pilar Bernabé, who has served as Government Delegate in the Valencian Community since June 2022, posted her reaction on the social network X shortly after news of the killing emerged. „Shocked by the murder of a minor in Alicante. Unbearable terrorism. All my love to her family and friends.” — Pilar Bernabé via Europa Press The Government Delegation against Gender Violence also posted on its X profile that it was actively collecting information on the alleged vicarious violence murder in the province of Alicante. Officials have not yet formally confirmed the case as vicarious violence, as data collection remains ongoing. The distinction carries legal and statistical significance in Spain, where vicarious violence cases are tracked separately from other forms of gender-based violence. Authorities have not publicly released the identities of the victim or the father.

Spain's 2026 toll already includes two murdered minors The killing in Torrevieja comes against a backdrop of persistent gender-based violence in Spain throughout 2026. According to figures cited by El País, 13 (women) — murdered by partners or ex-partners in Spain so far in 2026 have lost their lives at the hands of partners or former partners since the start of the year. Two minors, including the Torrevieja victim if the case is confirmed, have been murdered by their fathers or their mothers' partners in 2026 alone. 67 (minors) — killed in vicarious violence cases in Spain since official registry began in 2013 have been recorded since Spain began keeping official statistics on vicarious violence against minors in 2013. The official count of women killed by partners or ex-partners stretches back to 2003, with El País reporting a total of 1,356 victims since records began. These figures underscore the scale of the problem that Spanish authorities and civil society organizations have been working to address for more than two decades.

Vicarious violence — the targeting of a victim's children or loved ones as a means of causing harm to the victim — has been formally tracked in Spain since 2013. The concept describes a form of gender-based violence in which an abuser kills or harms children specifically to inflict maximum suffering on a mother. Spain has maintained official statistics on femicide since 2003, and the country has enacted successive legislative measures aimed at combating gender-based violence, including the landmark 2004 Organic Law on Integrated Protection Measures against Gender Violence. The Valencian Community, where Torrevieja is located, has been among the regions with active government delegations coordinating responses to such cases.

Investigation ongoing as officials await formal classification The vicarious violence classification requires formal confirmation from the Government Delegation against Gender Violence before the case is entered into official statistics. The Guardia Civil is leading the criminal investigation, while the Ministry of Equality's delegation is conducting a parallel process to determine whether the case meets the legal criteria for vicarious violence. Sources close to the case told El País they believe the murder took place inside the father's home, where both bodies were subsequently found. No information has been confirmed regarding the relationship status of the child's parents at the time of the incident, or whether any prior reports of domestic violence had been filed. Spanish authorities have not announced a timeline for completing the formal classification of the case.

Women murdered by partners or ex-partners: 13, Minors murdered by fathers or mothers' partners: 2