Provisional Prison Sentence for Woman Arrested Over Baby's Death in Gran Canaria

The offence carries a sentence of permanent revisable imprisonment, with the possibility that the offender may never leave prison.

Court Decision

The Plaza No. 3 of the Court of First Instance in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has ordered provisional imprisonment without bail for a 29‑year‑old woman arrested last week in connection with the death of her infant. The decision, issued on Monday, extends the woman’s detention over the weekend to allow investigators to continue their work now that the case is no longer under secrecy of investigation.

Details of the Incident

• Date and location: The events occurred on the night of Wednesday, 4 March, near the bus stop at the Cruce de Hoya de la Plata in the San Cristóbal neighbourhood.
• Discovery: Several passers‑by found a barefoot, disoriented woman walking while holding a baby wrapped in a blanket. When they checked the child’s condition, they realized she was unresponsive and called emergency services (112).
• Medical response: Paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the scene, then transferred the infant to the Hospital Materno‑Infantil in a medicalized ambulance. Despite nearly an hour of resuscitation attempts, the baby was declared dead at 22:54.

Mother’s Statements

“At first I told the police the child had fallen into the sea, but I couldn’t explain how it happened.”

Police noted that both the woman and the baby were wet, and they found the woman’s shoes among nearby rocks. Later, the mother changed her account:

“We had gone to Maspalomas earlier that day and returned to the capital in the afternoon. In San Cristóbal, I allegedly drowned my daughter in a small pool of seawater that had formed among the rocks, then picked her up and tried to catch a bus. That’s when citizens saw me and called 112.”

Ex‑Partner’s Account

When questioned at the hospital, the woman’s former partner reported that, in the days leading up to the tragedy, she exhibited strange behavior and sent incoherent messages, claiming she felt persecuted and heard voices.

Medical and Psychiatric Evaluation

Following the baby’s death, the mother was detained and subjected to a medical‑psychiatric assessment. The evaluation found:

• No organic abnormalities or drug consumption.
• A noticeable affective indifference during the clinical interview.

Legal Implications

The judicial authorities are now investigating the woman for premeditated murder with aggravating circumstances involving a minor under sixteen years of age, an offence punishable by permanent revisable imprisonment. The provisional detention reflects the seriousness of the charge and the risk of flight or further harm.