Boy allegedly kills mother and brother in Northern Spain.

A SPANISH teenager has confessed to killing his mother and brother in Northern Spain. “I HAVE killed two people”. This was the statement made by a 17-year-old boy who handed himself in to the Local Police in Portugalete, in the Basque Country, claiming he had just killed his 58-year-old mother and his 11-year-old disabled brother in the family home, 900 metres from the police station.

After his confession, the regional police, the Ertzaintza, were brought in, and he was arrested. He spent the day of his 18th birthday in jail.

Neighbours were shocked to hear of the crime, and although they had heard shouting, they would never have imagined it had led to such a tragic outcome, and doubted that it came from the victims’ home, as the family had never been known to cause any problems and seemed very close.

Particularly the confessed killer, Ismael, was known as a quiet and studious boy who took good care of his younger brother. However, he was said to have few friends, was shy and spent most of his time with his family.

According to the police, when he arrived at the station he was confused and was unable to say why he had attacked his mother and brother. “I have committed a slaughter” he said.

Their bodies were found by his father when he arrived home at 10am after going for a medical check-up. He was initially unable to get into the house as the door was closed from inside and Ismael had taken his keys when he left the house at 6am. When there was no answer, he called the emergency services. There was blood on the door and a saw near the entrance.

A fireman and a police officer were the first to enter the home through a patio window as a small fire had broken out in the kitchen. It appears the woman was cooking when she met her death. Both victims were apparently stabbed as well as beaten with a blunt object, possibly a pickaxe.

Shortly after the bodies were found, the couple’s daughter, aged 30, who had been at work at a nearby shopping centre, came home. She had to be treated for a nervous breakdown when she learned the news. They had five children, although two no longer lived with them. Although Ismael is now legally an adult, he was one day from coming of age when he allegedly committed the crime, and therefore will be judged as a minor. The case is now in the hands of the Bilbao Minors’ Prosecutor.

Ismael had allegedly left home early that morning to get his results from the high school where he was studying his last year. It appears his grades may have fallen, possibly because he spent a lot of his time looking after his brother. His sister had commented to some of her colleagues that there were “problems at home” but that she wasn’t worried and they were preparing Ismael’s birthday party.

By Jennifer Leighfield