Adeje Town Hall held a minute's silence today as a demonstration of thier condemnation and rejection of the violence and the death of the child Olivia at the hands of her father. Her young sister Anna has yet to be found. Adeje council and the people of the town are sending their thoughts and solidarity to the children's mother and extended family.
This is a case that has deeply saddened Canarian society, even as we still hoped that the children would be found alive and this was only a case of kidnapping.
"There are no words, we are beyond horrified at this dreadful news, the news we didn't want to hear", said the Adeje mayor last night. "I send my solidarity, my sympathy, offer any help I can, and that of the people of Adeje, to the family of Anna and Olivia, and above all to their mother Beatriz, and know that we are with you in your pain".
The Adeje Equality Council, who were also present at the minute's silence today, underlined the message that this is a form of domestic violence, vicarious violence, using children to harm their mother. The council repeated an earlier for laws that better protect children in these kinds of cases, and in incidences of reported domestic violence, adding that an abuser is not a good parent.
