Spanish investigators are using forensic testing and DNA evidence to determine the infant’s identity and what happened more than two decades ago.
ALLARIZ, Spain — A woman sorting through her recently deceased mother’s belongings found the remains of an infant inside a chest freezer in northwestern Spain, prompting an investigation into a death authorities believe may have occurred more than 20 years ago.
Spain’s Civil Guard is investigating the discovery in Allariz, a town in Ourense province in the Galicia region. The remains were found Nov. 2 in a freezer kept in a storage area near the garage of a residential building. A court in Ourense has placed the investigation under judicial secrecy, limiting what officials can publicly disclose while forensic and DNA testing continues.
EFE reported that Civil Guard officials confirmed the investigation but declined to provide additional details because of the court order. Preliminary estimates reported by local newspaper La Región indicate the infant had developed for about 32 to 34 weeks before death. Investigators are working to establish whether the child was born alive, the cause of death and when the death occurred.
La Región reported that the woman made the discovery while reviewing her late mother’s possessions and areas associated with her former home. The freezer was in a storage room in the ground-floor garage area of a building in Allariz. Investigators believe the remains could have been inside the appliance for more than two decades, although the precise time has not been officially established.
Authorities sent the remains to the Institute of Legal Medicine of Galicia for an autopsy and additional forensic examinations. DNA samples have also been sent for testing in Madrid as investigators attempt to identify the infant’s biological parents. People close to the former owner of the freezer have been interviewed as part of the inquiry, according to local reports.
The investigation is complicated by evidence that the freezer may not always have been kept in Allariz. La Voz de Galicia reported that family members had moved the appliance from the deceased woman’s residence in Ourense to the storage area in Allariz. La Región also reported that investigators are considering whether the death occurred elsewhere in the province before the freezer was moved.
Authorities have not publicly identified the infant, the biological parents or anyone suspected of wrongdoing. They also have not announced a confirmed cause or manner of death. Investigators are examining whether the infant was born alive and, if so, whether the death resulted from natural causes, an intentional act or a failure to provide necessary care. Those possibilities remain part of the investigation and have not been established as fact.
Reports have differed slightly in how they describe the preliminary forensic findings. La Región reported that early information indicated a pregnancy of about 32 to 34 weeks and suggested the infant had breathed, while La Voz de Galicia described investigators as still working to establish whether the remains were those of a child born alive or the result of a pregnancy that ended before birth. The final forensic findings have not been made public.
The remains were buried Nov. 5 in the municipal cemetery in Allariz after the autopsy and collection of samples, La Voz de Galicia reported. The discovery drew intense attention in the town as residents gathered for its annual autumn festival. Local residents told Spanish media they were stunned by a case that may have remained hidden for decades.
Investigators are also considering the legal consequences of the length of time that may have passed. La Región reported that if the death occurred more than 20 years ago, Spain’s statute of limitations for offenses against life could affect whether a criminal prosecution is possible. Authorities have not announced any charges, and no person has been publicly accused of causing the infant’s death.
The Civil Guard investigation remains open under judicial secrecy. Forensic results, DNA comparisons and interviews are expected to be central to determining the infant’s identity, relationship to the family associated with the freezer and the circumstances surrounding the death. Authorities have not said when additional findings will be released.