Barcelona is at the centre of a serious child protection case after a six-week-old baby was admitted to Vall d’Hebron Hospital on 16 March with severe injuries, including a broken femur, anal fissures and older wounds. Police and judicial sources say the case concerns alleged continuous abuse by the parents.

The mother is currently free, while the father remains in custody. According to judicial sources, she had already told two nurse friends that she was worried about her husband’s care of their son before the hospital admission. Those friends have given evidence to the investigating judge and shared WhatsApp messages in which the mother described her concerns.

One woman who shared a hospital room with the family told medical staff that the father would cover the baby’s mouth when he cried and would shake the bed where the infant lay. She also said he fed the baby aggressively and without care, and that this happened when the mother was not present. The same witness said she asked staff to help the baby.

Investigators are also looking at the mother’s online searches in the days before the admission. On 4 March, she reportedly searched for phrases including, “my partner is overwhelmed by the baby”, “my partner does not treat my baby well”, and “he gets nervous, shouts with the baby in his arms”. She also searched for possible reasons behind a bruise on the infant’s face.

Other testimony has pointed to a strained home life. A neighbour said the mother described the father as having “clumsy hands”, while another neighbour said she seemed cold and angry during a chance meeting in a lift. The nurse friends also said the mother had wanted to seek care at other hospitals, including Hospital del Mar, Sant Joan de Déu and Sant Pau, rather than Vall d’Hebron, where she worked.

A social worker from Vall d’Hebron, interviewed by judge and prosecutor Félix Martínez, said both parents were angry when asked about the baby’s injuries and gave no explanation for the wounds. The case is open for alleged habitual abuse and very serious injuries, and also for sexual assault with penetration because of the anal wounds found on the infant. The baby has been placed with a foster family while the court process continues.

Three doctors and a nurse from Vall d’Hebron are due to testify on Thursday, and the baby’s four grandparents are scheduled to give statements on Friday. For more Barcelona coverage, see our Community and Sport pages.

Originally published by El Periódico Barcelona. Read original article.