An eight-year-old boy was murdered last night (Wednesday) in Elda while the partner of his foster father was raped at the family home in Calle Don Quixote 26. Police were called to the scene by a neighbour who telephoned the emergency services on hearing a scream shortly after 9pm.

At a few minutes after nine o’clock the neighbour said that she heard a loud cry and, noticing that the next door was ajar, she decided to enter the apartment. She then described seeing a heart-breaking scene that will remain with her, as lying face down she saw the woman, who is several months pregnant, bound and gagged with visible signs of violence, while the boy lay motionless on the ground.

According to sources, the child was half naked and had seemingly been sexually abused, as was the girlfriend of his foster father, who is about 40 years of age, and who was transferred in shock to the General University Hospital of Elda where she remained all night.

Attempts by the emergency services to recover the vital signs of the boy were useless as he was subsequently declared dead at the scene. His corpse was transferred by the funeral services to the Institute of Legal Medicine of Alicante to determine the cause of death, and to search for any additional biological evidence.

About ten o’clock in the evening, Local Police officers cordoned off the street while members of the Homicide, Judicial Police and the National Police remained for more than five hours looking for evidence in the home, as well as gathering statements from local residents.

A search was also carried out in the area among the bins and litter bins along the street and also underneath parked cars, in case the criminals had attempted to throw away their weapons or balaclavas.

The investigation focused on two hooded men who surprised the woman and the boy on the stairway landing as they were about to leave their home shortly before nine o’clock at night. The door of the house was not forced nor were there any signs of a robbery. However, the investigation is ongoing as there are still many unresolved questions.